194 
INDIAN FRESH-WATER FISHES. 
found in places that were a day or two previous hard 
and dry. 
Some species, as the Anabas scandens and the 
Ophiocephalidae, are able to travel a considerable dis- 
tance on dry land ; this they do when they find the 
water failing them in their own pond. They generally 
make their migrations during the night, and seem to 
possess an instinctive knowledge of the direction in 
which to proceed in order to reach water. They have 
often, however, been noticed travelling in the broad 
daylight, but this is a dangerous proceeding, as the 
kites and crows make short work of these fish out of 
water. 
On the approach of spring the fish generally appear 
to wake up again. Their seasons are, however, much 
dependent upon the rains, which commence at different 
times in various parts of the country; thus in Assam 
the first rains fall in March, in the Punjab not until 
July. 
Another cause that affects the streams of the Hima- 
layan ranges is the melting of the snows, by which 
such of the rivers as have their sources among the 
higher hills are filled with cold snow-water during 
the first half of the year. Thus the habits of the 
fish vary in different rivers. As far as the Mahaseer 
are concerned, however, I believe that, generally 
speaking, March and April are considered the best 
months for fishing. When the rains begin, these fish 
commence moving up the streams for spawning pur- 
poses. At this time of year every rivulet becomes 
