( .i lpt. xii. /' '/'■ 165 



iwatei slunk. These fish formed part of the kills above- 

 mentioned as Labeos, ami gave more vigorous play tlian the 



Lai s. It' I remember rightly, I have uo note, I got Borne of 



them up to 5 lbs. 



The freshwater tortoise mentioned in the above mixed bag 

 bit just like fish, and you could not tell it was u tortoise that was 

 biting till you had hooked your friend, when he proved less active 

 than a Labeo, only clinging to the bottom without any travelling 

 about there. They seemed to scare away the tish by their presence. 

 For this reason, and because I believe I am right in Baying they 

 are sad spawn and fry eaters, uever fling them back or let them 

 Crawl away to the water. 



Xbur native attendants will sometimes be glad of them, and 

 they say they know which tortoises are edible and which are 

 not. I cannot say I have studied them gastronomically. I only 

 observed that some emitted an almost overpoweringly offensive odour, 

 and that was more than enough for me. Mind their bite. It is 

 not easy to kill them. Their tenacity of life is extraordinary to a 

 degree. It is recorded that they have lived for months with the 

 brain removed, and for twelve days without a head. I had the 

 pleasure of recognising one inside a crocodile, and they in their 

 turn are said to eat young crocodiles and crocodiles' eggs. But 

 they are reptiles, not fish, so we will have no more of them here. 



The following epitomized extracts from Dr. Day's " Fishes of 

 India" may be useful for reference: — 



Order. Physostomi. 

 Family. Oyprinidm. 

 Sub-family. Cyprmma. 

 Genus. Labeo. 



2. Labeo fimhriatus. Barbels 4. B. iii, D. 19-22, ( T |:± 5 ), P. 17, 

 V. 9, A. 7 (|), C. 19, L.I. 44-47, L.tr. 9-10/8. Bind, Punjab, the 

 Deccan, and probably N.E. Bengal ; also Southern India, at least to 

 Orissa. Attains a foot and a half in length. 



3. L. nigrescent. Barbels 4. B. iii, D. 17-18 Orfcry), P. 19, A. 

 7 (I), C. 19-21, L.l. 36, L.tr. 6/7. South Canara. 18 inches. 



4. L. calbasu. Barbels 4. B. iii, D. 16-18 (t^tt), P- 19. v - 9. 

 A. 7 (}), C. 19, L.l. 40-44, L.tr. 7£/8. Punjab, Sind, Cutch, Deccan. 

 Southern India and Malabar, from the Kistna through Orissa, 

 Bengal, and Burma. 3 feet. 



