Indian Cyprinidce. 



control over the distribution of water. During the dry season they 

 are pretty much exhausted, and may, if necessary for repairs, be left 

 perfectly dry. This would afford an excellent opportunity for des- 

 troying crocodiles and all the various destructive fishes, sparing only 

 the more profitable kinds, which are limited to two or three species 

 only ; and by repeating this operation for several seasons, or as often 

 as may be necessary, all but those we wish to propagate would soon 

 be exterminated. 



** By a wise law of nature, the carnivorous animals of every class 

 are less prolific than the harmless, and may therefore be the more 

 easily subdued. Nearly all the destructive fishes are viviparous, 

 bringing forth comparatively few young; whereas, the more pro- 

 fitable kinds, or those which should be the objects of our care, are 

 all oviparous, and bring forth their young from spawn. 



" A single female carp weighing only nine pounds, has been 

 found by Dr. Locke to contain no less than six hundred thousand 

 ova ; and by Schneider, one, ten pounds weight, was found to con- 

 tain seven hundred thousand ova or eggs. 



** The fecundity of the Ruee, Catla, and Mrigala, has not yet been 

 ascertained, but from their close afl[inity to the carp, we may suppose 

 them to correspond in this respect with that species ; the question, 

 however, is one that may be easily ascertained by weighing a grain 

 of the roe and ascertaining the number of globules it contains, while 

 these will be to the whole roe what one grain is to its entire 

 weight. The result will shew that these species are capable of 

 yielding, by their extraordinary fertility, a source of food as in- 

 exhaustible as the sands of the ocean, could we only bring their 

 propagation and the safety of the young sufficiently within our 

 control. 



" In the reservoirs above described, we have every facility for 

 effecting this object on a scale of great magnitude, without in any 

 way interfering with the other uses of the water." p. 458, et seq. 



The only alteration in the present form of the reservoirs to adapt 

 them to the purposes in view, would be to enclose the lowest por- 

 tions of the bottom of each with stakes long enough to reach above 

 the highest surface of the water, and close enough together to pre- 

 vent the entrance of crocodiles, otters, and the like, should any such 



