dm i. xiv. Frogs Bating Fish and Frogs. 181 



In shallow edged tanks with no overhanging bushes the same 

 method is adapted by a native wading in nearly up to his armpits, 

 with three thin pieces of bamboo, which he sticks into the mud, 

 with their bases well apart and their tops together, so as to form a 

 tripod ; and from the point where they meet he drops his frog just 

 as he did from the fork of the overhanging bough, and the other 

 end of the line is made taut on the shore. One man ordinarily 

 manages three such lines, radiating out from the point where he 

 -ns ,,ii the shore, to spots 20 or 30 yards apart in the tank. 

 He has one under each foot so as to be able to feel with his bare 

 foot the twitch of a bite, and he has one in one hand. He cannot 

 manage more. Does'nt he just wish lie was centimawus Gi/as. 

 If the tank is covered with weeds, a small clearing is made for the 

 tripod and bait, and though this may disturb the locality while 

 baiting it does not matter. A mole cricket tied to the hook, not 

 impaled, and dapped all alive and kicking, is said to be irresistible. 

 I can quite believe it. But surely it should be among lillies. In 

 rivers I have killed with a spoon also. Cockroaches are also used 

 for such fishing, but in what exact method I cannot say positively, 

 for I have no note ; my memory is that they are impaled on the 

 hook, as cockchafers are for chub in England, and cockroaches 

 certainly are wonderfully tenacious of life in a hot climate. I 

 know, however, that you may safely repose confidence in a frog. 



Ah me ! who would be a frog ? To " lead the life of a dog " 

 is nothing to leading the life of a frog. On land mongooses, 

 snakes, kites, crows, rats, larger frogs, and battalions of paddy birds, 

 ii at him greedily. In the water the Murral feeds almost 

 entirely on him, lying perdu under the banks for the purpose; 

 while the water-snake follows him in both elements. r>ut the 

 verdict is "serve him right," for he is a fry-eater and a spawn- 

 eater, and he is irrepressible, getting up drunken choruses all over 

 the country directly there is a good fall of rain, and he has had a 

 wet night of it. It is truly disreputable ; and then he is so greedy. 

 I had some in a can, together with other bait, when what should I 

 see but one of these " glutinous " ruffians improving his oppor- 

 tunities by endeavouring to swallow a bait longer than bis own 

 body. He had the head and shoulders and half the body down his 

 "sarcophagus or elementary canal" and was holding on to it 

 sulkily, while the fish's tail Mas wagging gaily. I pulled poor 



