( 90 ) 



maliaseer includes several of the large sorts of barbel, of 

 which India possesses upwards of sixty species. 



XC. Sixthly, on political grounds, regulations, it 



Political reasons against ac- is surmised, might in the Panjab 



tion being taken. (p e i x ) gi ve r j se fc o irritation amongst 



a border population ; or in Bombay, amongst the Bhils 

 of Kandeish (p. xli), the forest rules having curtailed 

 their privilege of cutting and selling timber from the 

 jungles. That such might cause discontent, as regulating 

 the minimum size of the mesh would be unpopular 

 in Bombay (pp. xlvii, 1), occasion great dissatisfaction 

 in Madras (pp. Ixxxvi, Ixxxviii), or be fraught with 

 annoyance and vexation to the fishing classes, or unpopular 

 (p. Ixxi) in the Central Provinces (p. cxviii). Or that 

 regulations might set up alarm, due to " the natural dislike 

 and prejudice of the rustic population against any innova- 

 tion whatever in their implements for carrying on their 

 craft (p. cxxxii), and that innovations would be opposed 

 by prejudice (p. xli). That prohibiting catching fry would 

 be interfering with a "free industry" (p. Ixxi), and the 

 prohibition of destroying fish-in-roe would interfere with the 

 present traffic in fish-roe (p. Ixxxi), whilst stopping the 

 sale of the fry in the bazars would be a measure " obnoxious 

 to sellers and consumers, and at present seems quite uncalled 

 for." If fry are not permitted to be publicly disposed of, it is 

 suggested that they will be privately sold or kept; for home 

 consumption (p. cxii). In the North- Western Provinces, 

 that " the Tharoos who live in the Turai spend much of 

 their time in the rains in catching small-fish (fry), and would 

 be very discontented if their fishing were interfered with." 

 So it is proposed to let them do it in any way (p. cliii). 



XCI. Seventhly, regulations are disliked for social 



Social oVection reasons i thus, in Bombay at Ahmed- 



abad, it is considered better that some 



fry be destroyed than that further opportunities should be 

 afforded to the lower grades of Government servants, and 

 to bigotted Hindus, to turn the intentions of Government to 

 their own profit (p. xliii). In the Central Provinces (p. cxviii), 

 that close and constant inspection would be necessary to 

 keep the nets up to the standard, and the uses to which the 

 opportunities thus given to petty officials would be put, can 

 easily be imagined. In Madras at Kurnal (p. Ixxxi), that the 

 only way in which Government could interfere would be by 

 means of an establishment of subordinates, who would avail 



