Craft, xm. Deficiency of Sight. 169 



round and round a live bait, inspecting it seemingly, before taking 

 it, and I conclude that yon must be a little sparing of big hooks. 



Indeed, I think it is always better to err in the direction of 

 fishing too fine than in that of using too obviously large and 

 numerously bristling books. Still, in this case, the great sbie 

 of the fish must not he altogether forgotten, though against that 

 may be set the fait that it is not as strong comparatively as 

 the Mahseer, and cannot compare with it for an instant in the 

 rapidity of its rush, so that you have plenty "I' time on your 

 side wherewith to ease oft" strength by play. Tin- terrible array 

 of teeth not only points to the use of gimp or wire, hut also 

 indicates that yon cannot expect as good a hook-hold as in the 

 leathery-mouthed Mahseer, and had best supplement your 

 chances with a little more hook. Still do not do it wholesale. 



They do not take up a position and wait for their food to be 

 brought to them by the stream, like Trout and Mahseer, but 

 they roam about in search of it, I don't say they do not lie 

 in ambush too. They affect still water. 



"Doon" speaks of spearing them. Pretty poaching that, says 

 the English salmon fisher, but fair enough, I hold, for such 

 sharks. " Doon's " letter is quoted from the "Asian" of 28th 

 October, 1879, in Chapter XXIV. 



The Tamil name for the Wattago attu is Vale ; the Hindustani, 

 seemingly, is Ooonch. 



Bagabius Yarkellii. 



Bagarius YarreUii is another predatory monster sdlnroid, big 



enough surely to satisfy any one. The one shown in the annexed 

 woodcut scaled 136 lbs., and was 5 feet 8 inches long from the 

 lip to the end of the tail, and 5 feet to the fork of the tail; the 

 circumference of the head being 3 feet 4 inches. The marginal 

 drawing is taken from a photograph kindly given me by Mr. 

 Kirkpatrick, and the fish was caught by his friend Mr. Van 

 Cortland, in the Jumna, at Oklda, at the head works of the 

 Agra canals, on the evening of the 11th May, 1875. The history 

 of the capture is given in the "Field" of 24th July, 1875. It 

 would seem that it took a " young rahoo " or Labeo rohita, "of 

 L2 or 14 His. " which was hooked foul and being played, and 



