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slaughtered in numbers. I have never heard of poisoning being used 

 as a means to capture fish there, but I remember seeing the stream 

 poisoned naturally. . At the end of the cold season some rain had 

 fallen, and had washed the forest leaves into the water, which turned 

 from this, or other cause, to a dull red colour. The fish sickened 

 and died in thousands. On the up-stream side of each of the 

 bridges and traps I have mentioned, you could see millions of fish 

 eager to get down past the obstruction, and escape from the poisoned 

 water. In a hundred yards or so, the river was a mass of living heads. 

 The fish sickened and died in a day or two, and birds of prey came from 

 all parts to devour them. I saw this myself and heard that it was not of 

 unfrequent occurrence, and that the dead fish were so numerous on these 

 occasions that they were carted off as manure. This is certainly a 

 crying evil and demands a remedy. * * Legislation is called for in 

 Bustee." The Officiating Collector of Bustee (April 4th, 1872) remarked : 

 " It is during and immediately after the rains that a very large number 

 of small fish are taken. The whole country becomes a swamp during 

 the rains, and when the waters subside, every field that has been flooded 

 becomes the scene of slaughter. Most of the fields here are surrounded 

 with a high bank, to keep up the water, if necessary, for the rice, and 

 the cut at the lower corner of this is obstructed by a basket or grass 

 screen ; this effectually prevents the escape of any fish, and as the water 

 runs off, they are left exposed." " There can be no doubt that the mesh 

 used is as small as can conveniently be made. There is hardly a method 

 of fishing which is not practised, except, indeed, fixed engines in river- 

 beds. These could not be permanently employed to any great extent, 

 for the yearly floods would sweep them away ." Nets of all sizes and 

 shapes are used in the rivers, but the greater part of the fishing is carried 

 on in the lakes and shallows formed by the overflow of the rivers. 

 Where the waters are shallow and drying up, bunds are erected and fixed 

 traps placed, as in the outlets to rice- fields ; nets and all kinds of devices 

 are employed, and finally the remains of the water are baled out ; thus 

 nothing escapes. In smaller pools water is baled out into a channel ; 

 a screen is placed there ; the most minute fish are unable to get away. 

 Should lakes communicate with large rivers, the channels are embanked, 

 and as the water subsides every fish is taken. " The only method, not 

 practised to any extent, is poisoning the water, and this indeed could 

 hardly be carried out effectively here, for it requires a running stream 

 to spread the poison through the pools, and shallows below, where the 

 fish may be picked up." Considers too great difficulties exist to regu- 

 late the size of the mesh of nets, and would give rise to extortion ; the 

 same difficulty would be in the way of prohibiting the sale of the fry 

 of fish in bazars. The Collector of Mirzapnr (February 12th, 1872) 

 observed : " My own opinion is, that if the Government resolve on 

 interfering with the present practice of fishing, that interference should 

 be very limited in its extent, and confined to such large rivers as the 

 Ganges, Jumna, &c., which pass through civilised and rich countries, 

 the inhabitants of which will be better able to appreciate the motives 

 of Government. It will be unfortunate if any further measures of an 

 unpopular character are introduced this year on the top of the income 

 and acreage taxes, the commutation of jaghirs, and the census, and I am 



