164 Bottom Fishing for Labeo. C'HAPT. XII. 



from the arm would break your fine tackle, for a fish of over a 

 pound weight will not yield to it at all. You will have to play 

 him before you can get him out, and they make a stubborn well 

 sustained resistance. Only once have I had one of these fish fling 

 itself a little into the air; the rule is that they keep down, and 

 make for the deeper water of the centre of the pond, and fight, not 

 vigorously nor furiously, but very steadily for a good long time. 

 In this their slow way they are very game. 



They ascend and descend rivers in floods and low water ; and 

 are consequently caught in cruives as Mahseer are. They do not 

 go to sea. 



The Tamil name of Tanjore is Sliel-Kendai ; but the Tamil of 

 Coimbatore is Karumtila-Kcndai. The Mysore Canarese for the 

 Labio kontius is Kcmmiii, or red fish. Which again is particu- 

 larized in Tamil as Gundamdni-Skrl Kcndai. 



They seem to take flies, but I think it is only in play that they 

 come to the surface. 



They frequent the deep, still parts of rivers. 



They are not a delicate fish to transport. For stocking 

 purposes the young bear carriage well. 



The various sorts are between them distributed all over India, 

 Ceylon, Burma, and Assam. 



The White Carp. 



There are other fish that may be taken bottom fishing with a 



paste bait. The mighty Mahseer sometimes takes the bait meant 

 for the Labeo, and when tendered on native lines commonly breaks 

 them. There is a silvery fish much like a Labeo in general shape, 

 but having the mouth at the end of, and nut under the snout, that 

 takes the same bait and hook, and is taken lively with the Labeos. 

 It is Cirrliiiin rirrhosa, called in Tamil Vmg hendai, or White 

 Carp, which anglicised name may be fairly given it. Some of my 

 native informants said it ran to 2A. feet in length; others said 

 H feet. We may accept the latter, which tallies, I see, with 

 Dr. Day's information. 



I well remember (and find in my notes) catching one of 2i lbs. 

 that came up with fresh, only very slightly healed, marks of a bite 

 which seemed to say he had been halt-way into the mouth of a 



