210 



ZOOLOGY. 



[Part II. 



these reservoirs and tanks are, twice in each year, hable 

 to be evaporated to dryness till the mnd of the bottom is 

 converted into dust, and the clay cleft by the heat into 

 gaping apertures. Yet within a very few days after the 

 change of the monsoon, the natives are busily engaged in 

 fishing in those very spots and in the hollows contiguous 

 to them, although entirely unconnected with any pool or 

 running streams ; in the way in which Knox described 

 nearly 200 years ago, with a funnel-shaped basket, open 

 at bottom and top, which, as he says, they " jibb down, 

 and the end sticks in the mud, which often happens upon 

 a fish ; wliich, when they feel beating itself against the 

 sides, they put in their hands and take it out, and reive 

 a ratan through theu' gills, and so let them drag after 

 them." 1 



FROM KNOXH CEYLON, a.d. itJSl. 



This operation may be seen in the lowlands, which are 

 traversed by the high road leading from Colombo to 

 Kandy, the hollows on either side of which, before the 



for situations, is one of tlie mysteries 

 of other east^mi eoimtries as well as 

 Ceylon and India. In Persia irri- 

 gation is carried on to a great ex- 

 tent by means of wells sunk in line 

 in the direction in which it is desired 

 to lead a supply of water, and these 

 are connected by channels, which 



are carefully arched over to protect 

 them from evaporation. These kanafs, 

 as they are called, are full of fisli, 

 although neither they nor the wells 

 they unite have anj' connection with 

 streams or lakes. 



1 Knox, Historical Helation of Cey- 

 lon, Part I. ch. vii. 



