clxxxv 



that breeding-fish and very young ones are not destroyed to such an 

 extent as to endanger supply; the smallest sized mesh used "being 

 of the size of a minnow net, and interference would be as un- 

 popular as it is unnecessary " The sale of the fry of fish in the 

 bazar is but small, and he " does not advocate any prohibition which 

 would be unpopular with the people." [If utility should be subservient 

 to popularity, then certainly measures of economic moment as regards 

 fish might probably have to give way to wasteful destruction, see 

 para. 349]. He likewise observes that, were "a glossary published, 

 giving the native, as well as the scientific, and, where there is any, the 

 common English name of the fish of India, it would greatly facilitate 

 enquiries which district officers may make/' The Deputy Commissioner 

 of Goalpara replies that " there is a wanton and ruthless destruction of 

 breeding-fish and young ones. They are not so much destroyed at the 

 weirs as in pools, streams, and in fields. The country being adjacent to 

 the hills, during the rains it is overflowed. At this time the non-migra- 

 tory fish resort to paddy-fields and small streams for breeding, and the 

 people use all sorts of contrivances for catching them and the fry. The 

 most common method is by nets, baskets, harpoons ; traps being also used ; . 

 many weirs do not exist, but the nets are so skilfully made of small 

 meshes that few escape, and they never let any fish, however young, 

 loose again. Poison is sometimes used, which destroys fish in lar<;e num- 

 bers. Angling, sifting water through a cloth, and baling the water from 

 pools are also resorted to. The destruction commences in the rains, and 

 continues till the water dries up." The smallest size mesh of nets 

 employed is about Jth of an inch ; if regulated, the trade of small fish will 

 be interfered with. Thinks " some penal provision should be made to 

 prevent the capture and sale of the fry of large fish." Does not anti- 

 cipate any objection will be raised in prohibiting the capture of fish in 

 the hilly part of his district during the early part of the monsoon. The 

 Deputy Commissioner of the Garo Hills states, " I cannot, I am sorry to 

 say, give you, much information regarding the fish in these rivers, 

 though in some of them fish of many kinds are abundant. I have 

 never made the fish a subject of my study, and I really do not know the 

 names of the various descriptions." 



356. The Commissioner of the RajsJiaJiye Division reports tf there 

 are no sea-fish, unless the Gangetic porpoise 

 and hilsa are considered to come under that 

 head. LI- he nilsa certainly is a migratory 



i-fish, ascending the rivers to breed, but not so the porpoise, which 

 loes not belong to the order of fishes, but is a mammal appertaining to the 

 rhales. The sea-fish which ascend above tidal influence will be alluded 

 amongst the list of fishes frequenting the fresh waters, and which is 

 ippended]. "Fish is largely consumed by the inhabitants of this 

 ivision, both Hindu and Mahomedan, high and low, rich and poor; in 

 ict, with a large part of the population it is the principal animal food 

 msumed. Hindu widows of higher classes and Jains who have emi- 

 tted from the North-West, however, abstain from fish on account of 

 iligious scruples, but the number of both of these is very small in 

 lis division. Fish is hardly ever salted in this division for home con- 

 traption, nor is it salted to any great extent for export, except in Pubna, 



