50 JOURNAL E. A. S. (CEYLON), [VOL. II., PART II 



District having been cut down without any provision being- 

 made for a future supply. Some young plants were, however, 

 brought up to Puttalam about a year ago, and have hitherto 

 grown well. 



From some of the indigenous trees various gums and resins, 

 valuable in the Arts and in Medicine, are obtained. 



Fisheries. 



As might be presumed, a large number of persons are en- 

 gaged in catching and in curing fish. For the former purpose 

 various plans are adopted. The passing cooly or lazy villager 

 obtains a savoury addition to his evening meal by cutting off 

 and gradually emptying small portions of half-dried-up tanks ; 

 while others attain the same end by pursuing shoals of fish 

 along shallow channels, and suddenly dropping over them 

 conical-shaped baskets. The quantity of fish caught in this 

 way would appear extraordinary to those who have not had 

 opportunities of observing that every collection of water, how- 

 ever small, swarms with life. Those whose means are greater, 

 make use of drag nets managed by two persons, which are used 

 either in still water or else in the surf which beats against, 

 and at short intervals surmounts, the shelves of rocks which 

 line the coast. 



To catch large fish, hooks and lines, deep sea nets, and 

 stake nets are employed. The latter are ingeniously con- 

 structed of saplings tied side by side, leaving interstices of 

 half an inch or more. A fence of these is run out from the 

 shore, and terminates in a series of arrow-headed chambers. 

 It is in these kraals that the majority of the turtle obtained here 

 are caught. Another plan, in constant use among the natives, 

 is to run a fence of saplings or nets from each side of a river, 

 leaving only a small channel in the centre ; in this channel 

 they place either a long bag net, or else a series of baskets 

 formed on the principle of a mouse trap, the fish entering 

 with ease but being unable to effect their escape. Shrimp 



