198 
INDIAN FRESH-WATER FISHES. 
this practice in every instance without inquiry. In 
some cases fish poisoning may be carried on without bad 
effects, but it depends entirely on the character of the 
locality, and the process has to be conducted carefully. 
At the base of the Khasia Hills, for instance, 
towards Sylhet, the streams form pools, long, narrow, 
and very deep, which are full of splendid fish. The 
Khasias poison these pools on certain occasions, once, 
I think, in three years, and capture an enormous 
quantity of fish which they dry in the sun and which 
forms their principal diet till the next time comes 
round again. In this instance the harm done is not 
great, although it takes several years for the water to 
recover its supply of fish ; but there is no other way 
in which the fish could be captured in this place, 
as nets could not be used, on account of the depth of 
the water, and the jagged limestone rocks. Neither 
are the fish wasted, but, on the contrary, being 
carefully dried, they form an important portion 
of the food supply of the adjoining villages. Also 
it is important to notice in this case that there is free 
water communication both with the upper portions of 
the streams and with the river below, from both 
of which sources these pools can become restocked. 
In other cases these conditions are not fulfilled, for 
example in these same Khasia Hills, in the streams on 
the plateau above, the natives seem to have practised 
the same method of capture that they find successful 
in the pools below, but here there are no means of 
naturally restocking these streams, and consequently 
