MISCELLANEOUS NOTES. 285 



I think it is a pity the word ovoviviparous is not used, exclusively to 

 denote this type of egg, retaining the word viviparous for f^tal birth, and 

 oviparous for eggs with no trace of Embryos. 



F. WALL, Majoe., i.m.s., c.m.z.s. 

 Almoka, 7th August 1911. 



No. XLVIII.— A SPORTma KASHMIR FISH, THE OHEROO— 

 SCRIZOTHORAX ESOCINUS. 



Of the fishes native to Kashmir which remain with us throughout the 

 year I think this fish must take the premier place. Among European visitors 

 to the Valley it is known as " Oheroo," but the more discriminating gar 

 hanjee gives this name only to the male fish, the female being knoivn to 

 him as the "paket gar." The scientific name indicates predatory habits and 

 as with many other predatory creatures such as hawks, eagles, spiders, etc., 

 the females of this species greatly exceed the males in size and strength. 

 One season at Ganderbhul, where the Sind river debouches from the hills 

 into the Kashmir valley, I heard of two hen " cheroo" of over 20 lbs. beino- 

 taken with the rod (both full of ripe ova) but I have never heard of a cock 

 fish being caught over 6 or 7 lb s. weight. The spawning season is from March 

 to June and it is only at this time of the year that "cheroo" are to be found 

 out of the lakes and sluggish waters of the Jhelum. Even then they rarely 

 ascend very far into the more rapid waters of the hill stream but take ad- 

 vantage of the first covenient gravel beds to deposit their ova. The egg is 

 about one-fifth or sixth the size of a trout egg and roughly I should guess 

 the deposit of a hen fish of 20 lbs. weight to be over 100,000 ova. Formerly 

 many more " cheroo" fell to the rod and line in Kashmir than is the case 

 to-day and as a rule those now caught are taken in the spawning season when 

 they give little or no fight. Even a big fish foul-hooked is little more than a 

 log when full of ova and the sport does not attract one. In the autumn 

 however it is different. Esocinus is in top condition in November- December 

 and those who have caught it then spinning or with a piece of duck's liver 

 or a frog for a bait can tell of good fights put up and of very palatable 

 additions to the cuisine. The long pikey head and spotted body are the 

 most striking characteristics of the fish ; it can usually be recognised by 

 these but for more exact identification I give the following description from 

 .Day's Fishes of India: — 



"Fin rays D 12 (4/S)P.20, V. 10, A. 7, (2/5) C 20. 



" Length of head 4i to ij iii total length. Eyes. Diameter 6^ in length of 

 head, 2 diameters from the end of the snout and also apart. The upper jaw 

 the longer; the maxilla reaches to nearly below the front edge of the eye. Lower 

 labial fold interrupted in the middle. A horny covering to inside of the lower jaw 

 Barbels- — The rostral more than half longer than the eye, the maxillary a little 



