Chapt. v. Kinds of fish for bait. 55 



which the fisherman prefers. The dace-like fish shows 

 furthest from its white shining scales, but that is not 

 much of a point where the water is clear as crystal, and 

 they are a tender bait, and soon tear on a hook and look 

 dishevelled. The Ophiocephalus gachua however, a loach- 

 like fish in general appearance, and called in Canafese 

 morant, and in Hindustani dole, is much tougher, and con- 

 sequently keeps its good looks much longer on a hook. 

 Its lips, which is a great point, are stronger, and its mouth 

 being wider, it readily takes in a larger sinker. It may 

 be easily recognized by the similarity of its general ap- 

 pearance to that of the loach, though it attains a larger 

 size when mature. It has the same imperceptibly small 

 scales looking to the ordinary observer like a scaleless 

 skin. It is a bottom-feeder, always among the stones, 

 and the young are to be found in any small pool adjoin- 

 ing rice fields, whence they can be readily taken by bail- 

 ing out, or by small boys with a worm. They keep a- 

 live in a bait-can longer than any fish I know; but they 

 are great hands at jumping out if it is not closed. 



As a rule all the small fish you want for bait are to 

 be found in abundance, and can be easily captured, in 

 the, rice fields, and if the Mahseer does not know which 

 he likes best, then I know which I prefer, simply the one 

 that gives least trouble, that is, the one that carries' best 

 in the can; and wears best on the hook, and takes in the 

 largest sinker, and that is the loach-like Ophiocephalus 

 gachua. 



Though I say loach-like, the reader will please under- 



