cxlv 



most of the inhabitants. In the Benares division, the Tehsildars of Mir- 

 zapur compute the numbers at 60 per cent. ; those of Goruckpur and 

 Benares at 75 per cent.; of Bustee at from 75 to 90 per cent.; of 

 Azimgrirh at 80 per cent.; whilst those of Ghazeepur give them as 

 follows : one at 50 per cent., four at 75 per cent., and one at 80 per cent. 

 In the Jhansi division, there are no replies from the native officials to this 

 question, but the Europeans state it is not a staple article of food with 

 the people at large. In the Allahabad division, the Tehsildars of Banda 

 give them at 50 per cent. ; of Futtehpur at 60 per cent ; of Hurripur 

 at all but Brahmins, Banias, and some Thakoors. In the Agra division, 

 the Tehsildars of Etawah compute them at 75 per cent., whilst in Mut- 

 tra the greater proportion of people are forbidden to do so by their reli- 

 gion. If we consider districts in which all the Tehsildars' replies are 

 given in a single figure as 1, we arrive at the following results : 



In 3 Tehsildarships 50 per cent, of the people. 



1 50 to 60 



3 60 



8 75 



1 75 to 90 



2 80 



2 all but high caste Hindus. 



Thus, out of 20 returns, 17 give more than half the people of the North- 

 West Provinces as not forbidden by their religion to eat fish. 



318. How are the local markets sup- 



edSth! nSUffil plied with fish ? Is thus replied to by the 



native officials 



Sufficiently in 13 



Insufficiently 23 



Occasionally 2 



Doubtful * 2 



Whilst in the Doon, it is observed that the markets are fairly supplied, 

 but the size of the fish brought is yearly decreasing. Those districts 

 where fish are not to be obtained have been omitted. Amongst the 

 European officials, in the Nynee Tal and Almorah markets a decrease, as 

 compared with former years, is said to be very noticeable. 



319. Have the fish in the waters increased, decreased, or remained 



stationary? Out of 17 answers. 6 report a 

 Fish in waters decreasing. J i -i /^ i i 



stationary state, and 10 a decrease, but some 



of these latter consider that, owing to late heavy rains, the fisheries are 

 recovering themselves. I should mention that heavy rains wash away 

 fixed engines, which is the cause why fisheries in the years succeeding 

 floods are always found better than in previous seasons. Three Tehsil- 

 dars give, as a reason for a diminished amount, that it is " owing to the 

 indiscriminate destruction of young fry." In the Etawah Collectorate, 

 the fish in the Jumna are said to be decreasing, due to the irrigation 

 weir near Delhi. In the hilly districts, a very general decrease is reported 

 by the local European officials. 



320. The fishermen of this province appear but rarely to follow 



this occupation as a sole means of subsist- 



'ishermen, as a rule, also pur- but mere ly as subsidiary to other 



sue other occupations. - 



occupations. 



k 



