654 Indian Cypriiiidce. [August, 



attended with considerable expense, nevertheless it is understood to 

 be an indispensable object to have them in perfect repair, since the 

 fertility of the country depends entirely on them. The plan here 

 proposed of converting them to new purposes of utility would add 

 to their importance, and the interest of keeping them up, without in 

 any way increasing their expense. 



"On the fishes of Bengal, Assam, and other provinces subject to the 

 inundations of the larger rivers, we can exercise no control, nor is it 

 desirable that we should, even if it were in our power, the supply of 

 fish being plentiful and constant enough : but in the higher parts of 

 the plains, near the foot of the mountains where the larger Cirrhins 

 and Barbels retire during the dry season for the purpose of spawning, 

 fisheries might be carried on with advantage to a considerable extent. 



" It would here be out of place to enter on the subject of sea fisheries, 

 and before we could do so with advantage it would be necessary to 

 pay as much attention, or more, to the fishes of our coasts as we have 

 devoted to those of our rivers. 



"Already we have attained one important piece of information regard- 

 ing the value of the Sulea fish of our estuaries, Polynemus sele, Buch., 

 which from the earliest times has been celebrated throughout China 

 for its isinglass. This substance was formerly supposed to be afforded 

 only by certain fishes in the rivers of Muscovy, from whence it was 

 exported to all parts of Europe, where, from its high price, its use 

 is chiefly confined to the arts. 



" A solution of this substance mixed with Canadian balsam and 

 spread on black silk forms the useful article called court plaster. A 

 few grains of isinglass boiled in milk forms a most nutritious food, 

 which is given medicinally. 



" Ignorant of its abundance in certain fishes of the Hoogly, that used 

 by the English residents in India is still imported, probably at an 

 expense of about 800 Rs. per maund,* while the same thing is collected 

 in abundance and shipped to China from the Calcutta river. f 



" Ten grains of this substance is sufficient to give the consistency 

 of jelly to a pint of water, and as it keeps good in a dry state for any 

 length of time, we may imagine its value as a portable food, and what 

 its importance might be in times of scarcity, since one pound avoir- 



* It is retailed in Calcutta at a much higher rate, 

 f See Journal of the Asiatic Society for March, 1839. 



