100 A Notice of Indian CyprinidcB. 



suppose them to correspond in this respect with that species ; 

 the question, however, is one that may be easily ascertained by 

 weighing a grain of the roe and ascertaining the number of glo- 

 bules it contains, while these will be to the whole roe what one 

 grain is to its entire weight. The result will show that these 

 species are capable of yielding, by their extraordinary fertility, a 

 source of food as inexhaustible as the sands of the ocean, could 

 we only bring their propagation and the safety of the young suf- 

 ficiently within our control. 



" In the reservoirs above described, we have every facility for 

 effecting this object on a scale of great magnitude, without in any 

 way interfering with the other uses of the water." p. 458, et 

 seq. " The only alteration in the present form of the reservoirs 

 to adapt them to the purposes in view, would be to enclose the 

 lowest portions of the bottom of each with stakes long enough 

 to reach above the highest surface of the water, and close enough 

 together to prevent the entrance of crocodiles, otters, and the like, 

 should any such exist in the neighborhood. The spawning sea- 

 son of the Ruee and other Cirrhins, appears to be in the dry- 

 weather ; the contrivance here suggested would therefore protect 

 them at that time, and if there should be any danger of the whole 

 of the water drying up, wells of sufficient size and depth might 

 be formed within the enclosure, to which the fishes would retire 

 during droughts, while the shallow waters around the wells would 

 afford space enough for the deposit of spawn. 



" Much of our success would depend on keeping those enclosures 

 as free as possible from all but the species we desire to propagate. 

 At the commencement of the dry season, before the fish begin to 

 enter the enclosure, the interval between the stakes might be 

 closed with straw, and as the water becomes sufliciently low 

 without, most of the rapacious kinds may be removed or destroy- 

 ed ; none should be allowed to remain but that species alone 

 which may be the object of our care. This done, the only fur- 

 ther attention necessary, would be to save the fish in the enclo- 

 sure from birds during the remainder of the dry season. 



" Should our success be complete, from every moderately sized 

 female Ruee we should have, on the commencement of the rains, 

 from five to ten hundred thousand fry, which, as the waters rise, 

 would be quite able to take care of themselves till the next sea- 

 son, when it would be necessary again to destroy the rapacious 



