1865.] MR. F, DAY ON THE FISHES OF COCHIN. 3 
possible make use of the names he has appropriated to each species. 
I shall describe not only every new fish which I have obtained, but 
also those whose existence has been declared very doubtful, but of 
which I have been so fortunate as to obtain specimens. In the de- 
scriptions I shall adhere as nearly as possible to one formulary, and 
give the exact and comparative proportions of the various parts of 
the body, head, and fins. The vernacular names will be recorded, 
when such were ascertained beyond a doubt; but they vary greatly 
in different localities. The native Christians do not give the same 
appellations to species as obtain amongst the Mahomedans, which 
again differ from those employed by the Hindus and even by different 
castes of the Hindu races. In short, various designations are found 
for the same fish, according to the locality it inhabits and the race 
of natives conversing. 
The classes who fish along the sea-coast and in the backwaters 
are the native Christians, the Mahomedans, and the Arrian caste of 
Hindus ; whilst the inland pieces of water are left to the Perdana 
Kanakas, the most degraded of a degraded race of slaves, who are 
only able to follow this pursuit in the early mornings or late in the 
evenings, when not required for agricultural labour. Nominally ma- 
numitted, but in reality compelled to work for a certain amount of 
rice (at least, when in health; for since their freedom they obtain 
nothing when ill), it is fortunate for them that fish forms no portion 
of their masters’ diet. 
The manner of fishing varies according to the season of the year, 
and whether employed in the sea, backwater, rivers, or tanks. Wall, 
cast, stake, and Chinese nets are all used» The last, situated on the 
banks of the river, are about 16 feet square, suspended by bamboos 
attached to each corner, and let down like buckets into the water, 
and, after remaining there a few minutes, pulled up again. As this 
mode of fishing is continued all through the year, it affords an ex- 
cellent criterion of the families and species present, even when sea- 
fishing is suspended. 
Besides the foregoing, fishing with a bait is employed at all times, 
both from the shore and small canoes. Trolling at the river’s mouth, 
chiefly for the Polynemus tetradactylus, mostly takes place in the 
cold months. Likewise shooting with a Chittagong bow, or bows 
and arrows, capturing by means of bamboo labyrinths, and poisoning 
the water by nux vomica, cocculus indicus, Croton-oil seeds, or other 
deleterious substances, are all common ; also damming up and lading 
out streams, purse-nets in small water-courses, especially in rice- 
fields, catching by the hand, or by means of wicker baskets some- 
what resembling the eel-traps in this country. 
The coast is low, without rocks, but with several mud-banks, to 
which many fish appear to come for the purpose of depositing their 
spawn. A low narrow slip of sandy soil divides the backwater from 
the sea, with which it runs parallel for several hundred miles. Some 
large rivers, which take their rise in the Western Ghauts, pass down- 
wards through this backwater into the sea. The Cochin River is 
800 yards in width. 
