Ixxx 



156. The Collector of Tnchiuopol^ (October 12th, 1869) observed 

 that in Trichinopoly the supply of fish is al- 

 together unequal to the demaVd j thus I re- 

 member last year catching with a live bait a 

 Killatay, Macrones aor, of about four pounds, and a Deloyet at once 

 exclaimed ' that would fetch a high price in the fort ;' in fact any 

 amount of good fish could be sold in the town, or indeed elsewhere, at 

 remunerative rates. In order to have a firm hold on the fishermen 

 and their actions, we should certainly rent out fisheries under prescribed 

 conditions, and it might even be necessary to have a legal enactment. 

 No doubt the size of the mesh should be regulated; five inches in 

 circumference would be a proper minimum. One only difficulty arises; 

 there are daily brought to market basketsful of exceedingly tasteless, 

 small fishes called ' Vellichay/ Chela clupeoides, and they never grow 

 bigger than three or four inches, and are largely purchased by the 

 poorer classes to eat with their rice. By limiting the size of the mesh, 

 we virtually prohibit the capture of these little creatures, and thus cut 

 off an article of food. But then arises the natural question, is it worth 

 while losing the salmon for sake of the gudgeons ? Poisoning should 

 certainly be prevented ; it is a barbarous kind of usage. Tanks are 

 not often drained for mere fish ; the water is too valuable :" would allow 

 fishing in the pools near irrigation weirs only to a limited extent, as 

 when all of them are connected by a good stream ; because at certain 

 seasons, especially when the waters are very low, fish are congregated in 

 them, and can all be captured with the greatest ease. The Acting Col- 

 lector of Trichmopoly (July 30th, 1870) reported, that with the exception 

 of the Cauvery, its branch the Coleroou, and the Vellyaur, which form 

 the northern boundary of the district, there are no running streams of 

 such permanence as would come under the category of rivers ; the 

 lyaur and others being mere jungle water-courses which are filled only 

 after local rains, and subside as rapidly as they fill. The supply of fish 

 within the limits of the district, as an article of local consumption, is 

 therefore very limited ; and, such being the case, he does not consider that 

 any very extensive measures for the conservancy thereof are either neces- 

 sary or called for. [That the supply of fish in the Coleroon and Cauvery 

 is insignificant, is the very reason why some remedial measures 

 appear to be called for. About 10 miles from Trichinopoly, where the 

 Cauvery divides, it is 1,466 yards broad, and becomes separated by the 

 island of Serungum into two parts, the most southern or smaller being 

 666 yards wide, retaining the name of the Cauvery; the largest is 800 

 yards wide, and is termed the Coleroon. As a weir exists here 750 yards 

 broad, divided by a small island 216 yards wide into two portions, bund- 

 ing up the river to from five to seven feet in height, it can hardly be conceded 

 that such a stream should be almost destitute of fish, especially as much 

 of the district is freely irrigated.] " According to Dr. Day's proposi- 

 tion, fishing should not be allowed during the time the rivers are in com- 

 munication with the sea, and this time he fixes between October and 

 February ; here, however, this could not apply, and I have, therefore, 

 fixed the season during which fish are not to be taken, between the 15th 

 June and the 15th September, [it is evident my views have been mis- 

 understood in this report, my wish being to allow the young and spout 



