INDIAN FISH AND FISHING. 4* 



certain seasons of the year to rivers which can be easily- 

 bunded, having done which, they kill every fish they are 

 able. 



In investigating what is the minimum size of the meshes 

 of the nets in general use in India and Burmah (excluding 

 Sind), where no regulations exist declaring what such should 

 be, I received the following replies from ninety-one native 

 officials, who refer to such in inches : — 



Native Size in inches between knot 



officials. and knot of meshes. 



5 .. i inch. 



5 Below 1 inch. 



18 I inch. 



5 f „ 



24 i „ 



1 i- „ 



5 ^ 5> 



18 I „ 



4 tV ,. 



2 T2 j> 



3 TS n 



32 " 



And out of seventy more returns, fifty-three officials com- 

 pared the size of the mesh to a grain of wheat, mothi, mucca, 

 gram, dholl, lamp-oil seed, barley, tamarind seed, a small 

 pea, a peppercorn, a large needle, a bodkin, quill, coarse 

 muslin, will ensnare a gnat, or hardly anything will pass. 

 The remaining seventeen described the smallest size as 

 follows : — Size of finger or thumb, five ; of half ring-finger, 

 two ; as big as a broomstick, one ; size of half rupee, one ; 

 of a four-anna bit, one ; of a quarter of an anna, one ; of a 

 two-anna bit, five ; of a pie, one. 



The size of the mesh must to a certain extent be made 

 to suit the water to be fished and the fishes to be captured ; 

 thus very small meshes are unsuited for rapids. The figures 



