1872.] 
S. E. Peal — Visit to the Mgd Kills. 
31 
Appendix II. 
The Asamese Koni Pih, or Poison Perry. 
The seeds of this shrub or tree are used by the Asamese to kill and 
intoxicate fish in the rivers. They usually select the deep pools, after 
the floods have subsided, and stake both the outlet and inlet, so as to prevent 
the fish from escaping. 
It seems that both the leaf and the bark are capable of poisoning, if used 
in any quantity ; but they are not used, because the seed (husk and all) is far 
more active. Some say the husks alone are to be used. 
Fresh seeds are not selected, but rather old and half rotten ones, and I 
hear that if they have lain on the ground, they are still better. The custom is 
to collect them some days before the poison is required, and steep them m water- 
When soft they are pounded up, seed, husk and all, with some water, care being 
taken to protect the face and especially the eyes. When thoroughly reduced 
to a pulp, the mass is allowed to stand a day or two, and is then ready to be 
thrown into the stream a little above the place selected to catch the fish. 
About 5fts. of seed will poison a large ‘ dhubi,’ and of course affect the 
stream a long way down. I hear that it is injurious to human beings, and 
stories were told me of people killed by it, but I doubt the fact. It seems 
universally agreed that if the seeds are kept for a long time in a pot, moistened 
and allowed to rot ('? ferment), the poison is far more active, than if only 
kept a few days. 
‘ Nagd Pih,' another poison used to intoxicate and MU fish. 
The tree known by this name grows to a large size, often 2, 3 and 4 feet 
in girth, and 50 to 80 feet high. Unlike the Koni Bill, the seeds must be 
used when rather unripe, or at least not old ; but all parts of the tree seem 
to yield the active principle, though the seeds contain most for a given 
weight. The poison is also most virulent if used immediately ; and for 
this reason, I suppose, it is the juice itself that is poisonous, and not any 
product of fermentation, as seems the case in the first poison. A larger 
quantity is also required to produce the same result. It is prepared much 
the same way as Koni Bih, that is, pounded up with water and macerated. 
The outside of the husk is covered with fine hair or down. The seed 
case when cut through, rapidly clanges from a light yellowish white to 
a dark greenish black in about a minute or less. 
There are also other kinds of poison called ‘ Lota Bih’ and ‘ Deo Bih,’ 
the latter not known to the Asamese, I believe, and ‘ Bor Bih,’ which is 
brought down by the Misfimis , 
