— 5 — 



tlie distribu-tion offish in it. A number of Nile fish,, 

 which would not otherwise have sought entrance, are 

 carried in bj the body of water ; many of these succumb 

 to the changed conditions, while others either return to 

 the Nile or are caught in the lake. 



Marine fishes found in the lake. 



GREY MULLET. 



Of the saltwater fish, the grey mullets are the most im- 

 portant. In numbers they probably exceed all other fishes 

 .excepting the ' 'shabar", and it is chiefly from them that the" 

 revenue fr.om fisheries is derived. At Damietta I found 

 three species, Mugil cephalus, Mugilcapito, andMugil sp., 

 known by the names of Bouri (<4)>) Tobar (jL^l') and Garan 

 (<J!/-)- respectively. The first-named is the largest species, eouri. 

 Its average size, is about- 30 cm., and the largest seen, 

 measured 50 cm. over all and scaled 1 . 4 kilo., although 

 this is'by no means as large and heavy a fish as has been 

 taken in the lake.. All the mullets spawn in the sea, and 

 it is said that the annual migration of the " Bouri" takes Period 

 between the months of May and November inclusive. ° ^''*'"'"°^- 

 Bouri is more particularly applied to the spawned fish of 

 ■ both sexes; hut ('^^^) and lebt(>.^^) are the" terms given to 

 females and males with ripe generative organs, and kattah 

 or kanbout* {^j-^^) to bouri of less than average size. 



The grey mullets are sociable and move about in large Habus. 

 sh'oals, thus rendering their capture somewhat easy. 

 Bouri are to be met with in all portions of the lake, but 



