clxxxv 



tlut, brecding'-fipli nnd very y'lnpT ones are not destroyed to snoJi nti 

 extent as to endang-er snjiply ; (he smallest sized mesli used " beinp 

 of tlie size of a minnow net, and interferenee wonld be as un- 

 popular as it is unnecessary." The sale of the fry of fish in the 

 bazar is but small, and he "does not advocate any prohibition whieli 

 would be unpopular with the people." ^If utility should be aubscrvient 

 to popularity, then certainly mcnsures of economic moment as regards 

 (ish mif^ht probably have to give way to wasteful destruction, seo 

 para. 349]. lie likewise observes tliat, were "a glossary published, 

 giving the native, as well as the scientific, and, where there is any, the 

 common English name of the fish of India, it wonld greatly facilitate 

 enquiries which district oflicers may make." The Deputy Cnmmnsioner 

 of Goalpara replies that " there is a wanton and ruthless destruction of 

 breeding-fish and yoiing ones. They arc not so much destroyed at the 

 weirs as in pools, streams, and in fields. The country being adjacent to 

 the hills, during the rains it is overflowed. At tbis time the non-migra- 

 tory fish resort to paddy-fields and small streams for breeding, and the 

 people use all sorts of contrivances for catching them and tlie Ay. The 

 most common method is by nets, baskets, harpoons ; traps being also used ; 

 many weirs do not exist, but the nets are so skilfnlly made of small 

 meshes that few escape, and tbey never let any fish, however young, 

 loose again. Poison is sometimes used, which destro^'s fish in large num- 

 bers. Angling, sifting water through a cloth, and baling the water from 

 pools are also resorted to. The destruction commences in the rains, and 

 continues till the water dries up." The smallest size mesh of nets 

 employed is about Jth of an inch; if regulated, the trade of small fish will 

 be interfered with. Thinks " some penal ]irovision should be made to 

 prevent the capture and sale of the fry of large fish." Does not anti- 

 cipate any objection will be raised in prohibiting the capture of fish in 

 the hilly part of his district duiing the early part of the monsoon. The 

 Deputy Commissioner of the Gnro Hills states, — " I cannot, I am sorry to 

 say, give you ranch information regarding the fish in these rivers, 

 though in some of them fish of many kinds are abundant. I have 

 never made the fish a subject of my study, and I really do not know the 

 names of the various descriptions." 



356. The Commissioner of the JtnjsliaJiye Division reports — " there 



are no sea-fish, unless the Gangetic porpoise 



Opinion of the Commissioner and hilsa arc considered to come under that 



of Kiijslialije Division. p ,. • i • • i 



head. Llhe lulsa certamly is a migratory 

 sea-fish, ascending the rivers to breed, but not so the porpoise, which 

 does not belong to the order of fishes, but is a mammal appertaining to the 

 whales. The sea-fish which ascend above tidal influence will be alluded 

 to amongst the list of fishes frequenting the fresh waters, and which is 

 ajipended]. " Fish is largely consumed by the inliabitants of this 

 division, both Hindu and Mahomedan, high and low, rich and poor; in 

 fact, with a large part of the population it is the principal animal food 

 consumed. Hindu widows of higher classes and Jains who have emi- 

 grated from the North-West, however, abstain from fish on account of 

 religious scruples, but the number of both of these is very small in 

 this division. Fish is hardly ever salted in tbis division for home con- 

 sumption, nor is it salted to any great extent for export, except in Pubnn, 



