CHAPTER XII 



POISONS USED IN FISHING, HUNTING, 

 AND TRADE 



Preliminary — Fish poisons — Poisons used in hunting — Cattle poisoning — 

 Rat poisoning — Locust poisoning — Poisoning of birds — Trade poisoning 

 — References. 



PRELIMINARY. 



In this chapter we consider in the briefest possible manner the 

 use of poisons to kill fish, big game, cattle, rats, birds, and trade 

 poisoning. 



FISH POISONS. 



Every now and again we have been appealed to for the purpose 

 of explaining why a large number of fish have been found dead 

 in a river or lake, and certainly in those which we have been able 

 to investigate personally the causal agent has been poisoning of 

 the waters. 



It is a common practice all over the world to throw pieces of 

 bark or leaves of trees and shrubs on to the water, in order to 

 stupefy fish, and thus enable them to be easily caught. 



The number of plants used for this purpose is very great, and 

 though we have not thought it necessary to give a detailed list 

 in this book, still, we consider that it is useful to give a few 

 examples, as a knowledge of the subject is at times required. 



The plants used in Ceylon for the purpose of intoxicating or 

 killing fish are given in the following list supplied to us by Mr. 

 Drieberg : — 



1. Anarmirta paniculata [A. cocculus Wight and Arnott). 



2. Barringtonia acutangula Gaertner. 



3. Euphorbia timcalli Linnaeus. 



4. Lasiosiphon eriocephalus Decaisne, 



5. Mcesa indica Wall. 



6. Mundtdea suberosa Bentham. 



7. Randia dumetorum Lamarck. 



8. Strychnos nux vomica Linnaeus. 



9. Walsura piscidia Roxburgh. 

 10. Derris uliginosa Bentham. 



Hydnocarpus venenatus Gaertner is also said to be used, and to be 

 poisonous on account of the hydrocyanic acid it contains. 



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