. 
98 A Notice of Indian Cyprinidae. 
sam, we may forma conception of the inexhaustible supply of 
fish that might be procured for consumption in other parts of the 
country where they are less plentiful.” p. 384. Several species 
are useful not merely as an article of food; speaking of Cyprinus 
cursis, Dr. M’Clelland observes, “It is a beautiful fish, common 
in Bengal and Assam as high as Sudyah, but being full of bones, 
is little valued as an article of food. If it be less useful in this 
respect than other Cirrhins, it is more serviceable than we are 
aware of, in common with the numerous Gudgeons, in clearing 
the indolent waters of the plains from a redundancy of vegeta- 
tion with which they would otherwise be choked up.” _ p. 330. 
Many of the species are of great value as excellent and nutritious 
food, and might be rendered infinitely more so, could they be 
salted when taken, or be transported and allowed to propagate in 
other portions of the country. Thus the Barbus megulepis, 
which is an admirable fish, is “peculiar to remote, unpopulated 
districts, where no attempts are made to cure; they are con: 
sequently lost to the wants of other places, where an unlimited 
demand for dried fish must prevail at all seasons, but particularly 
during the rains and hot weather, when fresh fish become scarce. 
There can be no doubt that if some relaxation of salt duties 
could be made in favor of those who would embark in such 4 
business, a profitable and useful trade might be established to 4 
far greater extent than we can at present form any notion of. 
The season for fishing is short, and without the means of saving 
more than can be consumed when fresh, the fishermen have 
nothing to stimulate them to any exertion beyond that of earn 
ing during their brief season, a sufficient sum to support them 
during the rest of the year. Had the fisherman the means of pre- 
serving the results of his labor, his chief market would commence 
when the fishing season ends, and his industry would then be- 
come a permanent benefit to himself and to the country at large. 
Sea fisheries would be of still higher importance, although nei- 
ther should be neglected. The cold season, from November to 
February, is the time at which fishes are chiefly taken; the wa 
ters being then low, the fish are confined to narrow channels, 
and are often completely cut off from the larger streams and left 
in pools, in which they are easily secured. When passing Sola- 
no Mookh with the Assam deputation in January, I saw boats 
Jaden with most of the five kinds of Barbels just described, from 
