3G6 A Pica for River Fisheries. CHAPT. XXV. 



numbers have been caught and examined from time to time to 



make the seasons set against them very fairly reliable. 



82. Not only do some fish of a sort spawn early and some 

 late, but the same individual seems to spawn two or three times, 

 and, perhaps, oftener in a season. In October or November a 

 Mahseer generally contains three distinct sizes of roe, and the two 

 larger sizes are mostly shed before .January. Whether they have 

 been laid in two batches or from time to time as they became 

 mature, cannot be certainly stated, and it remains to be seen 

 whether the minute ova which are still in the fish in January are 



matured and laid before the monsoon, or are 

 cr^Tof roeTt one the nucleus of the next year's crop. It seems 

 time, and a laying pro bable that these fish do not accomplish their 



fowl, it will be re- r r 



numbered, contains spawning operations in as short a time as 

 ofVmydayBtoM^ salmon, but lay a few eggs from time to time 

 m different degrees as t ] le y r ipen, ant i that this lengthened siiawn- 



of advancement. j l i 



ing may be a provision to meet the variableness 



iu the rivers. Several Indian fish have also been ascertained to 



spawn twice a year at distinct periods, with an 



Particularized in interva i of severa i months between, and more 

 Appendix G. 



fish may do this than we are aware of. Here, 



then, is unusual fertility, as well as adaptability to changing 



rivers. 



83. It will be seen from column 11 of the accompanying table, 



that though there are in the rivers some fish 

 or other spawning in every month of the year 

 except August, the very great majority of the small fish spawn 

 in May, June, and July (a few of them repeating the pernkmance 

 iu October, November, December and January), and that the 

 spawning time of the mass of the big fish extends over September, 

 October, November, December, and January, but is chiefly confined 

 to December and January. 



Spavming. 



84. The quantity of spawn contained in each fish has been but 

 slightly tested. As far as examination has been made, Indian tish 

 seem to be as prolific as others. 



