1S35.] Mountain Trout of Kamaon. 41 



enables it to swing freely backwards and forwards, and to the lower 

 end of this there is fixed a cartilaginous rim which forms the anterior 

 boundary of the mouth (cf), and by the muscular structure of the 

 snout and palate the anterior boundary of the mouth is drawn forward 

 or retracted at pleasure. It is probable from the consideration of these 

 parts that they do not serve merely for opening the mouth, but also 

 assist in collecting or sucking food into it, by means of the vacuum 

 consequent on the enlargement of its cavity, the opercula being com- 

 pressed on the apertura branchialis. 



From the soft pulpy nature of the food mastication would be use- 

 less, accordingly there are no teeth : the tongue is short and cartilagi- 

 nous. The last remarkable circumstance in the anatomy of this fish 

 which I shall mention is, the great length of the intestinal canal, it 

 being eight times that of the body, the stomach alone extending the 

 whole length of the abdominal cavity. These circumstances indicate 

 either the innutritions nature of the food, or the strong digestive powers 

 that are requisite : the latter would appear to be the case from the 

 muscular strength of the stomach, which is displayed to the //// S 

 naked eye by the numerous white bands of longitudinal $<f °§ 

 fibres which may be observed passing thus in a zigzag form \& g, 

 from one extremity to the other. 



The whole length of the canal was loaded in the specimen examined 

 with the peculiar slimy food already mentioned. 



During the warm season these fish are seen sporting and feeding at 

 all hours, but in winter they spend their time chiefly under rocks and 

 stones, where they probably deposit their spawn, only coming out to 

 feed as the sun ascends in the meridian, and again retiring in the 

 afternoon ; or on being frightened, they rush into their hiding places, 

 from which they can easily be taken with the hand, and in this way 

 the native fisherman in a few minutes secures as many of them as he 

 wishes. Conceiving them to be trout every attempt has been made to 

 catch them in the usual way with fly and bait, and though every device 

 has been resorted to, instances of success are so rare that they may 

 be almost referred to chance. A less refined but more successful 

 method of fishing (as I have been assured by an intelligent friend 

 who has seen it) is practised in the vicinity of Lohooghat by the black- 

 smiths during periods of relaxation from their more legitimate calling : 

 these persons, aware of the disposition of the fish to spend certain 

 seasons under stones, pursue the beds of the rivers, striking such loose 

 stones with their sledge-hammers as they may suspect to conceal fish, 

 which they thus kill by concussion. 



G 



