Indian Cyprinid(B. 



119 



of those who would embark in such a business, a profitable and 

 useful trade might be established to a far greater extent than we can 

 at present form any notion of. The season for fishing is short, and 

 without means of saving more than can be consumed when fresh, the 

 fishermen have nothing to stimulate them to any exertion beyond 

 that of earning during their brief season, a sufficient sum to support 

 them during the rest of the year. Had the fisherman the means of 

 preserving the result of his labor, his chief market would commence 

 when the fishing season ends, and his industry would then become 

 a permanent benefit to himself and to the country at large. Sea 

 fisheries would be of still higher importance, although neither should 

 be neglected. The cold season, from November to February, is the 

 time at which fishes are chiefly taken; the waters being then low, 

 the fishes are confined to narrow channels, and are often completely 

 cut off from the larger streams and left in pools, in which they are 

 easily secured. When passing Solano Mookh with the Assam depu- 

 tation in January, I saw boats laden with most of the five kinds of 

 Barbels just described, from one to two and a half feet in length ; but 

 as Sudyah, the nearest market at which they could probably be dis- 

 posed of, was thirty miles distant, and a strong current to be opposed 

 in reaching that place, and no means of curing the fish, the owners en- 

 tertained little hopes of realizing any thing whatever by them." p. 339, 



To the important subject of transporting fishes from one pond or 

 river to another, our author has given much attention, and his sug- 

 gestions are worthy the notice of the government of India. We are 

 told, that throughout the Mysore country, as well as in many of 

 the western provinces, large tanks or reservoirs occur, many of them 

 from three to thirty miles in circumference, and being indispensable 

 for irrigation, may be supposed to be nearly universal in all populous 

 districts not watered by rivers. These reservoirs are considered by 

 the Honorable Col. Morison, C. B., as among the greatest national 

 monuments to be found in India. They are capable, according to 

 Buchanan, of supplying water for from eighteen months to two years, 

 and thus of maintaining the surrounding corps should no rain fall 

 within that period. 



" They are drained by an ingenious system of sluices and aqueducts 

 of the most simple but complete construction, which alfbrd a perfect 



