26 Spawning peculiarities of Mahseer. Chapt. hi. 



thousand eggs as it weighs pounds, and it is not surpris- 

 ing that it should then be in such a weak state as to be 

 unfit for human food or sport, unable almost to take care 

 of itself; and even after it has somewhat recovered, and 

 become what is called "well mended", it cannot be ex- 

 pected to be the same fish in the river that it is in the 

 sea. It is a seafish, and the river is not its proper ele- 

 ment, any more than India is yours and mine. It still 

 pines for shrimp sauce and a furlough in the sea. The 

 case with the Mahseer is however very different indeed. 

 It gets through its egg laying on the same principle as 

 the fowl, not exactly one egg a day, but in batches at 

 intervals, and does not feel the same drain on itself as 

 if it had laid them all at one time. Moreover it is all 

 the while in its own element in the river, is getting as 

 good feeding as it can ever have, and is recouping itself 

 between the several layings. The consequence is that I 

 do not remember ever to have come across a Mahseer 

 looking so emaciated as to appear unfit for human food, 

 though I have observed them to be in poorer condition 

 at one time than another. But that is very different 

 from looking as a spent salmon does, big and bony head- 

 ed, lank and thin-shouldered, pale and haggard as if he 

 had been to a ball or a pool till small hours every night 

 for a month. It is a general rule that every animal, 

 and for the matter of that every grass &c, is in its finest 

 condition when preparing to reproduce its species. A 

 hen is never in better condition than when full of small 

 undeveloped eggs and about to commence laying them. 



