382 COMMON FISH OF AN INDIAN GARDEN 



of clearing the net and gaining the open water 

 beyond it ; so that, for a time, crowds of great silvery 

 bodies were flashing in the sunshine and falling into 

 the pond with resounding splashes. Many fell short 

 and were safely landed, but so many escaped that it 

 was necessary to repeat the netting three or four 

 times ere it could be regarded as having been at all 

 effectual. In this case by far the greater number of 

 the fish were catla, but here and there among their 

 awkward, heavy companions fine rohu could be seen 

 looking strangely refined and graceful in comparison 

 with them. 



Rod-fishing for catla can hardly be supposed to 

 be a very fascinating sport, as, when hooked, they 

 seem to do little save sulk and drag. The natives of 

 India are, however, very fond of it, and there is at 

 least this to be said in its favour, that, although the 

 interest that it provides is a diluted one, it is often 

 very prolonged. I have seen a fisherman struggling 

 with a large catla when I went out for a walk at sun- 

 rise ; he was still hard at it as I passed the pond on 

 my return homewards ; he persevered throughout the 

 whole course of the day, and at sundown was still 

 wading and swimming about in hopes of ultimate 

 success. Rohu are far more lively fish, and when 

 hooked often contribute their share towards really 

 exciting exhibitions of competitive activity and skill. 



Indian gardens possess so many fascinations that 

 any attempt to describe them must almost inevitably 



