344 



On tJie Fresh Water 



[No. S5, 



by a few men on shore. This net is gradually pulled towards the 

 spectator, the line of boats advancing slowly along, and now and then 

 a fine fish is seen jumping out of the water — when half the tank is 

 drawn and the fish consequently are accumulated towards the hither 

 end of the tank, they begin to attempt to force the line ; many suc- 

 ceed by jumping over the net, held as high as the fishermen's hands 

 can reach ; some come plump upon the fishermen and knock them 

 over, making their escape thus; and others are caught by the net and 

 fall into the boats where they are quickly despatched. It is indeed a 

 most curious sight ; 40 or 50 fish, many of them of large size, being 

 often seen in the air at once. It is not uncommon for 50 or 60 fish 

 from 1^ to 3 feet long to be taken at one haul. The flesh, to the 

 taste of a European, is rank and disagreeable, but the natives esteem 

 it most highly as a restorative and aphrodisiac. It is called Poo meen 

 by the natives. 



Butirinus Maderaspatensis. New Species. 

 Palap Contah, Russell 207. 



Head one-fourth of whole body ; no elongated scales at base of 

 dorsal, anal or caudal fins; 75 scales along the sides in 21 rows ; 

 body deeper than in the last ; green above, white beneath, silvery 

 throughout, fins tinged with yellowish— D. 14, A. 8, Sec. 



I possess some small specimens of this fish which appears to differ 

 from the west coast one described above. It was procured at Mad- 

 ras from tanks, I was informed, but I believe it is chiefly an estua- 

 ry fish. It is called moram Icende at Madras. 



Gen. Megalops. Lac. 

 Mouth very oblique; body moderately compressed; eye very 

 large ; dorsal and anal fins falcate. 



Megalops Jilamentosus. 

 Kundinga. Russell, 203. 

 Head 3f in length of body ; eye 3 times in the head ; last ray 

 of the dorsal prolonged to a filament ; 40 scales along the lateral line 

 in 11 or 12 rows — D. 19, A. 25— up to 2 feet and upwards. 



This is chiefly an estuary fish, but it is to be found in many tanks 

 of fresh water on the Malabar Coast; introduced, I suppose. 



I have taken it with fly, from a small stone built tank at Mahe, up- 

 wards of two pounds weight. 



