THE GAME FISHES OP THE WOELD 



whicli weighed one thousand and sixty-flve pounds. In the 

 Punjab, this fish is known as the Goonch. 



These gigantic ' cats ' make a meny fight, especially the 

 silun {Silundia gangetica), which is taken with a spoon. One 

 in constantly reminded of the difference between the catfish and 

 carp of England and India. What one Englishman thinks of 

 the catfish is told in the following clever lines from Punch : 



' No Catfish Please ! 



' Oh do not bring the Catfish here ! 

 The Catfish is a name of fear. 



Oh, spare each stream and spring : 

 The Kennet Swift, the Wandle clear, 

 The lake, the loch, the broad, the mere, 



From that detested thing ! 



'The Catfish is a hideous beast, 

 A bottom-feeder that doth feast 



Upon imholy bait : 

 He's no addition to your meal. 

 He's rather richer than the eel ; 



And ranker than the skate. 



' His face is broad, and flat, and glum ; 

 He's Hke some monstrous miller's thumb ; 



He's bearded hke the pard. 

 Beholding him the grayling flee. 

 The trout take refuge in the sea. 



The gudgeons go on guard ! 



' He grows into a startling size ; 

 The British matron 'twould surprise. 



And raise her burning blush, 

 To see white catfish, large as man. 

 Through what the bards call " water wan " 



Come with an ugly rush ! 



'They say the catfish climbs the trees, 

 And robs the roosts, and, down the breeze. 



Prolongs his catterwaul. 

 Ah, leave him in his western flood, 

 Where Mississippi chums the mud ; 

 Don't bring him here at all ! ' 

 80 



