The Rod In India

Front matter

THE ROD '.N INDIA

THE ROD :N INDIA

' Pleasant is the fisher’s life Bj the waters streaming.”

Preface To Third Edition

As the Second Edition of this book was, in comparison with the First Edition, “nearly half of it a new book,” so the Third Edition makes a further a^ide in the like direction with more than a third of new matter;

NeVttfa are introduced, with new methods of capture.

Most of the previous full page lithographs are reproduced, reduced by photography to the size of the present handier volume, and two new plates of fish are added.

Endeavouring to give my readers the advantage of all the English improvements in tackle that I thought applicable to India, I have accompanied them with ninety-six illustrations thereof, thinking such a manner of representation more explanatory than any amount of letterpress, and specially so to the far distant Indian angler who cannot enlighten himself by visiting a tackle-shop and judging from personal inspection. Not a few of these illustrations have been presented to me, as particularized below by name of donor, with page on which they appear. Still, while thoroughly acknowledging my indebtedness for the courtesies named, I desire to add that in admitting these illustrations to my pages I have, as ever, had one only consideration, the interests of the angler.

The above additions to the size of the book have brought fresh cause for curtailment in other directions. So I have pruned here and there, and have thrown out two whole chapters on Pisciculture in sea and fresh water, as having only a secondary interest to some anglers, and because, from retirement, I can no longer do anything for Pisciculture in India. At the same time I have not liked to sacrifice

Pr^ace to Third EiUi&nn the chatty style which so many kindly friends have been enough to approve.

Since writing the second edition of this volume new difficulties have arisen to confront me and to compel me to seek again the kindly conrideration of my friendly reorders. Iti my first and second editions, comprehending, or at least endeavouring to embrace, all Indian fish that could be taken with a rod, my matter simply grew with my knowledge of a new subject. But since then I have endeavoured to divide my subject by writing ‘ Tank Angling in India,’ and I have now to consider whether or not to maintain the division.

The primary object of * Tank Angling' was, as stated in its preface, to produce a cheap book for those who could not afford to fish for Mahseer, and it led naturally to confining the subject to such fishing as, without camp equipage and expensive journeys, could be had in ponds, fort moats, bathing tanks, or other reservoirs close at hand. That division made, it seems well to keep to it, and for other reasons also, namely, the avoiding of repetition, and the keeping of * The Rod in India ' from swelling to inconvenient proportions.

Endeavouring to keep up this division of subjects, I hope that the two books may become as much sister volumes as if they were entitled Vol. I. and Vol* II. of one book, though distinct titles indicate to the purchaser their different subjects, ‘The Rod in India’ henceforth treating only of such fish as are to be taken in rivers and estuaries, those to be captured in reservoirs being relegated to ‘Tank Angling.’ Though it is a division sometimes difficult to maintain, it seems the fairest to my readers, who will thus have both books kept from being too bulky and too expensive, and also have it in their power to suit themselves as to whether they shall become the happy possessors of either one or of both.

Still, in following this division of subjects as regards old matter, I have allowed myself to temporarily depart from it as regards new matter which must eventually be relegated to ‘ Tank Angling,' because this plan seemed better than letting new discoveries run the risk of dying with me, if I kept them back from my fellow-fishermen till I had an opportunity of writing a second edition of ‘ Tank Angling.'

Extracts and letters from friends are shown in smaller type, not as being less valuable, but simply to distinguish them, lest I should be unduly credited with them.

Preface to Third Bditim

Hie valuable quarto two-volume work, * Day's Fishes in India^’ having, on his demise, passed into the hands of the publishers, Messrs. Bernard Quaritch, I am under the great obligation of being still permitted to make extracts therefrom, and have accordingly copied from that work my illustrations of the Seetal and the Batchwa.

Messrs. C. Farlow & Co., 191 Strand, London, W.C., have given me the following thirty-two electros : telescopic gaff, gaff to screw on to handle, gaff to lash on to handle, as figured at p< 193 spring balance, p. 38 j Dee minnow, baited and unbaited, p. 69 ; Archer spinner, baited and unbaited, p. 72 ; Chapman spinner, baited and unbaited, p. 72; hog-back fly spoon, p. 128 j light-landing net, p. 190^ the Jardine gag, p. 209 j prawn tackle, baited and unbaited, and of two sorts, p. 254; Giri spoon, p. 275; hog-back spoon, p. 275; scale of swivels, p. 278; collapsible line drier, p. 296; knob or button end to rod, p. 301 I snake rings, p. 302 ; five illustrations of bait cans, p. 307, 3083 winch case, p. 309 ^ hackle-holder, p. 310; table vice, p. 310; gut twister, p. 31 1 ; rod box, p. 320.

Messrs. S. Allcock & Co., Wholesale Manufacturers, Standard Works, Redditch, have given me the following sixteen illustrations : jointed net ring, open and closed, p. 20; triangular net open and closed, p. 21; baiting needle, p. 66; Coxon spinner, baited and unbaited, p. 71; Rohu hooks, p. 123; Jardine live bait tackle of two sorts, p. 141 ; rod rest, p. 142 ; sizes and breaking strain of rust proof wire gimp, p. 208; disgorger, p. 209; gorge hook, p. 236; lockfast ferrule, p. 301 ; Norwegian knife, p. 309.

Messrs. William Bartleet and Sons, Wholesale Manufacturers, Abbey Mills, Redditch, have given me four electros ; scale of Limerick hooks, p. 1 17; scale of Mahseer treble hooks, p. 119; scale of Pennell-eyed Limerick hooks, p. 120; scale of Pennell-eyed Sneck-bend hooks, p. 121.

The Army and Navy Co-operative Society, Limited, 105 Victoria Street, Westminster, London, S.W., have given me three electros : Geen's Richmond spinner, trout size, baited and unbaited, p. 218; fly scissors, p. 310.

Messrs. J. Warner & Sons, Wholesale Manufacturers, Hewell Works, Redditch, have given me an electro of their patent wedgefast winch fitting, p. 294.

Of Messrs. L. Upcott Gill, 170 Strand, London, W.C., publitiieTS t& iMrd Edition.

ptoptietors of ^ The All Round Angler/ by J ohn Bickerdyke, T Ime purchased duplicates of the following thirteen diagrams of tackle udiich appear in that work ; knot for attaching drop fly by loop, p. 183; §:og bait in two sizes, p. 230; method of whipping on a treble hook, p, 280; knot for hook with metal eye turned* down, p. 281; knot for kook with metal eye turned up, p. 281 ; Turle knot, p. 282 j jam knot in two stages, p. 282 ; knot for worn fly, p. 283 ; knot in three stages for tying a collar, p. 304; knot for tying a loop, p, 304 j knot for finishing the splicing of a rod, p. 311.

The knot and the angles of vision shown at pages 99 and 283, are from memory of the leaves of the Fishing Gazette,

The eighteen full page plates, and the remaining twenty-six marginal illustrations have been made specially for this work.

To my critic again — “ Spare the Rod

To the angler generally, and specially to old friends and old readers and helpers, I must be allowed, in conclusion, to cordially wish them once again “the good sport which this book aims at helping them to obtain.’*

H. S. THOMAS.

Tiverton, Devon,

September, 1897 ,

Preface To Second Edition

This Second Edition is nearly half of it a new book.

In my First Edition I sought the co-operation of brother anglers. Kindly have they responded, some direct to myself, some through the medium of the Press. Many told me things that I had learnt myself in the interim ; such matter is introduced afresh in this edition as my own, as it none the less is ; but I thank correspondents all the same. Some told me things I did not know ; such matter, wherever it appears, is honestly acknowledged by name or initial, both that the reader may know who is the authority for it, where I am at liberty to quote the full name, and also that he may recognise the advantage of the kindliness.

All such communications as have been made direct to myself, and consequently appear for the first time in print, have been printed in the same type as my own matter. Such communications as have come to me through the Press, even though it may be kindly stated in them that they were penned in answer to my invitation, are, as extracts, printed in smaller type ; partly to distinguish them from what is quite new, and partly to save my book from becoming unwieldy, not in any way to imply less value.

Of these last communications I have had to clip some not a little because they repeated what was to be found elsewhere in the book. I trust I may be forgiven by the writers.

I have enlarged the page so as to be able to present better plates, but I have not enlarged the type to suit. If I have sinned against printing rules in this matter it is that I may keep my book from being too bulky to be still an angler’s companion.

I have admitted in th^ contributions of others though, as promised

X

Preface to Second Edition.

in the earlier preface, I have excluded from my own matter narrative of sport achieved, because I thought it likely to prove interesting, and an incentive to take to Indian Ashing. And this it is hoped the Chapter on Fishing Localities will help my readers to find their way . to, as the rest of the book may aid them to accomplish.

If old hands, nevertheless, find nothing new in these pages, will they kindly consider that it is mainly their own fault for knowing too much. But why should I apologise to such, for really good fishermen will not expect to learn, and if they concur, even in part, they are sure to be friendly.

It only remains to cordially wish you the good sport which this book aims at helping you to obtain.

H. S. THOMAS.

Guernsey,

Preface

TO THE ANGLER.

I PROMISE that you shall not be wearied by long yams about the fish that I have caught; the object is to set your rod bending, and your heart leaping.

Do not be afraid of the natural history. There is not more of it than a good fisherman ought to know, and as it is expressed simply 1 trust it is not very uninteresting.

TO THE NON-FISHERMAN LOVER OF NATURAL HISTORY AND PISCICULTURE.

As you may not care to wade through the whole book for the bits likely to interest you, and as those bits are necessarily scattered where they are applicable, a special * Appendix will enable you to pick them out without trouble or waste of time.

You must kindly excuse the unscientific language used for the sake -of fishermen pure and simple, who will probably be my chief readers. I plead and follow herein the example of that distinguished and pleasant naturalist, Charles Waterton, who had both the courage and the position to be able to say he had confined himself to a few simple words in preference to a scientific jaw-breaking description ; so that young naturalists might understand him at once, which was all he aimed at.

Ye giants in natural history, for whom this simple little book is scarcely fitting, fodder, but who may yet dally with it for half an hour for the sake of the few crumbs to be gathered here and there, bear

* Now omitted.

Preface, nith me if in my little effort to follow, longo intervallo^ the style of such a naturalist as Waterton, I timidly shelter myself under another quotation from his Essays on Natural History ; it will serve to explain my reasons for taking him for my model. “I verily believe that if an unfortunate criminal just now were defended by a serjeant-at-law without his professional wig and gown, and then condenmed to death by my lord judge in plain clothes, the people would exclaim ‘that poor devil has not had a fair trial.' So it is with natural history. Divest a book on birds, for example, of its unintelligible nomenclature, together with its perplexing display of new divisions, and then it will soon be declared deficient in the main points, and be condemned to slumber on the dusty shelf. If in this little treatise on monkeys I shall succeed in imparting a love for natural history into the minds of my young readers and at the same time convince them how much is gained in the field, and how little in the closet, my time and labour will be well repaid. I will introduce no harsh words to confound them, nor recommend to them systems which at best are unsatisfactory inventions. All that I have got to say shall be placed before them in so clear a point of view, that every reader, be his education light or solid, will be able to comprehend my meaning, and nothing more than this can be required." Like my model, my aim in this respect is to impart a love of natural history to fishermen, and to gain amongst them more friends and coadjutors for pisciculture in India. In my Official Reports to Government also, all the members of which are not necessarily pisciculturists, I have ever studiously excluded all hard words from the text, and have pushed them unceremoniously into the margin j so also in this little book any phraseology of science will be found condemned to a footnote, or to the close company of a plain Saxon synonym. Thus disposed no exception can well be taken to its presence, especially in the names of fish where, without such accuracy of expression, it would be hard to know for certain which fish it was that was being spoken of.

But lest this seeming rudeness to natural history should scare away some that might otherwise do me the honour of at least a cursory reading, I think I had better present my letter of introduction. The following letter and the handsome accompanying Medal, which 1 had the unexpected honour of receiving from the Acclimatisation Society of Paris, is the best evidence that, though in a humble way,

Preface^ sdii

I have still given some painstaking attention to the subject on which I wnte : — J’ai I’honneur de vous informer que la Socidte d’Acclimatation, sur la proposition de sa Commission des recompenses, vous a deceme une medaille de 1“*^“ classe pour vos travaux de pisciculture dans rinde.”

TO THE CRITIC.

“ Spare the rod ! ! ”

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.

For two of my plates,* the Mahseer and the Murral, I am indebted to the courtesy of Dr. Bidie, Curator of the Government Museum in Madras, who very kindly afforded every facility to my draughtsman. The Barilius Bakeri has been copied by permission from Dr. Day’s ‘ Fishes of Malabar.’

H. S. THOMAS.

Mangalore, April, 1873 .

These plates have not been used in the present edition.

Chapter I. Introductory

The objects of this book— As good fishing to be had in India as in England, I — Author’s apologies for himself and his subject, z — Fishermen the best friends of Pisciculture, 3 — Repetition of former works on general fishing avoided, and remarks confined to purely, Indian fishing, 4 — Continued co-operation of anglers sought — Contributions and assistance acknowledged, 5 — Anglers in India are comparatively few, 6 . . 1-6

Chapter II. The Mahseer

A Sporting fish, 8 — Shows better sport than the salmon, 9 — The necessity for being prepared for its sudden rush, 9, 10 — Advantages of a pliable rod, 10 — Winch friction, Ii — Pressing your fish, iz — Preventing sulking, 13 — Continuity of pressure, 14 — Manner of pressure, 14-16 — Estimating weight of fish before landing it, 16 — Landing — Shelving — Handling, 18 — Gaffing,

19 — Netting, 20-22 — Killing, zz — Edibility of Mahseer — Attendant necessary, 23 . . 8-23

Chapter III. The Natural History Of The Mahseer

Its names, 24 — Its description by Dr. Day, 25-27 — Different sorts of Mahseer^ 27-34 — Maimer of drawing Mahseer — Manner of colouring Mahseer, 29 — Prolonged lips not a sexual distinction, 32, 33 — A stocking difficulty — It is not confined to Bengal, 33 — Etymology of the name Mahseer, 34 — Its size.

^ 35 — Its preference for rocks — Sanderson’s fish, 35 — A rare buffalo, ^6 — Calculating size by length of Mahseer, 37 — Weighing Mahseer, 37 ” 4 ^

The migratory habits of the Mahseer, 41— Not spent and unwholesome after spawning, because of peculiarity of spawning — How to judge of time of spawning, 42 — Reason for the peculiarity in spawning, 43— Inventory of the contents of Mahseer’s stomach, 44 — Conclusion therefrom that the Mahseer is a bottom feeder — The same conclusion from the formation of the outside of mouth — Power of sucking up Molluscs, etc., from the bottom, 45 — Power of pharyngeal or throat teeth, 46— Are they shed periodically, 47- -Power of jaw also, 48 24-4B

Chapter IV. Circumventing The Mahseer

Not to be caught by the same rules as English fish, 49 — The clearest water the best for fishing — Except in the Ganges, 50 — And with live bait — Affected by cold winds, 5 * — The Mahseer a fish-eater though a carp — Extraordinary power of jaw — Hooks crushed by it — Power of rigidifying muscles of the mouth, 52 — Importance of bearing in mind the Mahseer’s bottom feeding habits — Artificial fly as a bait for Mahseer, 54 —Advantages and disadvantages thereof — Less killing than spinning — Should always be available in addition to spinning, 55 — Special necessity for keeping out of sight, 56 49-56

Chapter V. Spinning For Mahseer

Live bait versus dead bait, 57 — Tmjiortance of keeping out of sight, 58 — Weight, size, and advantages of spoon bait, 59 — Magic, 6o— The size of spoon a rod can throw — Phantom minnow, 61 — Spinning with dead fish —

A pliable rod advocated — Stiff Mahseer rod deprecated, 6z — Castle Connel rod, 64 — Modes of baiting with dead fish, 65— Baiting needles — Enlarged sinkers — Dee tackle, 68 — Geen’s Richmond spinner, 69 — Coxon spinner, 70 — Archer spinner — Chapman spinner — Fine tackle desirable, 72 — Sort of fish for bait, 73— Best size for bait, 74— Large fish deter small fish from anticipating them — Good fisherman generally kills better fish than an indifferent fisherman— Large fish wary, 75— Fish able to communicate ideas to each other, 76— Fish think and have brains, 77 — Examples of birds, beasts, and insects communicating ideas, and the analogy to be drawn therefrom in favour of fishes, 79 — Audibility of sound dependent on rapidity of vibrations, 84— Gregarious fish communicate, 85— Salt preferred to spirits for preservation of bait^ 86 . . . . , . , , ^ ^ 57-86

Contents.

xvii

Chapter VI. How, When, And Where To Fish For Mahseer

Spinning against and across stream — Habits of small fish, 88 — Velocity at which to spin, 89 — Object of bait revolving on its own axis — Minner in which big fish surprise their food, 90 — And sometimes chase it, 91 — Educated fish — Prey chiefly on sick fish, 93 — Eye of the angler fish — Short-sightedness of fish through water — Short-sightedness the protection of small fish,

94 — How to spin when bait is being followed, 96 — Imperative necessity for keeping out of sight, 97 — Refraction in water, 98 — Stalk your fish, loo— Manner of spinning wilh a fly top, IDI — Best season of the year for fishing, 103 — Best hours of the day for fishing, 104 — Rivers in which to fish, 105 — The parts of a river to be fished, 107 — Pool fishing, loS — Fishing deep, 109 — Tyranny among fish, ill . . 8S-111

Chapter VII. Fly Fishing For Mahseer

Fishing with a Salmon fly, 1 12 — rationale ol it, 113 — Colours of flies, 114 — Sizes of flies, 115 — Sizes of hooks, 116 — Scale of Limerick hooks, 117 —

Scale of Mahseer treble hooks, 119 — Scale of eyed Limerick hooks, izo —

Scale of Sneck bend hooks, 121 — Scale of eyed Kirby hooks, 122 — Scale of Rohu hooks, 123 — The Blackamoor fly, I24 — The Cock-o’-the-walk —

The Smoky Dun — Sizes of flies, 1 25 — Hooks drawing in India — Tying flies oh eyed hooks — Manner of fly fishing, iz6 — Fish slowly — Striking a fish — Position of the rod, 127 — Fishing when followed, iz8 — Hog-backed fly-spoon, 129 .. 1IZ-129

Chapter VIII. Gram Fishing For Mahseer

Size of fish caught by gram— Tried unsuccessfully where fish are not educated

to it W. F. F.’s method, 130 — Procuring and preparing the bait — Manner

of baiting hook, 131 — Previous ground baiting — Size of hook — Manner of fishing, 132 — Place and season for fishing, 132-134 — A. B.’s suggestion, 135 . . ■ • • • • ■ *30“*3S

Chapter IX. Live Bait Fishing For Mahseer

Colonel Parson’s method of fishing in coloured water — Size of live bait, 136— Method of baiting — December and January blank months — Peculiar-eyed xviii hooks — Eyed hooks rusting gut — Sizes of hooks used, 138 — Usefulness of eyed hooks — Method of preparing snood, 139 — A yo-lb. fish — The bag made by this method, 140 — ^Jardine tackle, 141 — Ophtocephaliis gachua unsuited to this sort of fishing, 142 — Rod rest, 143 . . ■ . • • 13^^43

Chapter X. Paste Paiting For Mahseer And Others

The sorts of fish to be taken by a set paste bait, 143— Ingenious night-line— With the rod in hand, 144 — With the rod set — Good for Rohu at nightfall, 145

Chapter XI. The Carnatic Carp

Has a smaller mouth than Mahscer — The weight of Carnatic Carp, 146 — Is something like a Chub, 147 — The Indian coracle, 14B — "Got it in his bones ” — The first lesson — The places to fish — Throwing again in the same jilace, 149 — Carnatic Carp congregate and wander like Dace, 150 — Paddybird’s wisdom — Playing the fish, 151 — Keep to a swum, without overworking it — Fish reassured — Monkeys attract fish, 152 — Taking a rapid,

153 — “ My Lord, if T had not caught you,” 154 — P.’s pip, 155 — The rod, line, and tackle used, 156 — Different baits tried, 158 — Grasshoppers — Spoons, 159 — Fishing alternate pools — How to make a coracle comfortable, 1 6o-“ Edibility of the Carnatic Carp — Its manner of taking the fly —

Fish blowing out the fly, 162 — A fish’s mouth is his hand, 163 — Striking a Salmon, a Mahseer, a Trout, a Dace, a Carnatic Carp, etc., 164 — Fishing on natural histoiy basis — Striking fine, 165 — IIow to grasp a rod — Characteristics of salmon and trout rods — Importance of selecting the right style of rod, 166 — Distribution of Carnatic Carp — Hours for fishing —

Don’t fish fasting, 168 — Dr. Day’s description of the Carnatic Carp — Difficulty of ascertaining native names, 169 . . . . . . 146-169

Chapter XII. Smaller Fly-takers

Small fish more accessible than Mahseer — Simple English names will be assigned to fish, 171 — The Chela argentea — A clerical error — Other Chilwas — They will thrive in ponds — Their size, 172 — The flies frr them — Require quick striking — The hours to fish — The places — Can be taken with float, 173 — Vernacular names of Chela — Frogs rising to flics —

Contents.

XIX l6z Chilwas killed by one fly rod in hours, 174 — Ten men’s dinner caught by paste bait — Floating bran as “ ground ” bait — Dr. Day’s description of Chela, 175 — The Black Spot, or Barbus filammtosus and B, Mahscola^

176 — Their localities — Their manner of taking a fly — Require the finest Ashing — Are very shy — Swim in shoals, 177 — Thrive in ponds — Taking hours — Dr. Day’s description — Barbus Chrysopoma, or Olive Carp, 178 —

The lesser Barils — Their colours and size and localities — They are game little fly-takers, 1^9 — The flies for them — Indian entomology, 1 80 — They are shy — Fishing up-stream, 181 — Knots, 183 — Dr. Day’s description of Barils, 185 — The Indian trout or Ban lius bola — Colonel Parson’s paper on it — OreinuSj wrongly called a trout, 186 — The colour and size of the Indian trout — The ^baits for it and the time for fishing — The places to fish in —

They are a favourite bait for the Mahseer — Native fisherman’s manner of noosing them — More places to fish for Indian trout, 1 87 — They leap into the air — Have a large mouth, 1 88 — Follow up the fly — The flies for them — They are predatory, 189 — Months in which to fish for them — Localities that produce them, 190 — Dr. Day’s description of it, 191 . . 171-191

Chapter XIII. Bottom Fishing For Labeo

Compared with roach fishing, 192— Mahseer fishers converted to it — Mr. Dunsford on conversion to my methods — A typical unbeliever therein, 193 —

Old methods good for certain seasons only, I94 — My methods suitable to all seasons — A 77-lb. Catla, 195 — Sorts of Labeo — Fishing in waves, 196 — Special rod for it, 197 — The free hook, 198 — Fishing in rivers — Laxity of vernacular names — Rohu hook — Length of running line, 199 — Sort of running line — The Nottingham stop for detective float, 200 — Rohu, Mirga,

Catla, to be taken by the same methods — Catla prefer the bait being off the ground — 22-lb. Catla on 8-dz. rod — Ringol rods should be oiled, not varnished, 201 — Rod top ring — Paste baits, 202 — Seasons for Labeo and other fishing — Ground baiting on a bamboo, 203 — Influences of weather,

204 — Professional diners out — Choosing your fishing-place — Levelling the bottom — Tackle-box — Manner of striking, 205 — The cost of stocking with fry — Returning under-sized fish, 206 .. .. .. .. .. 192-206

Chapter XIV. Freshwater Sharks

How to get sport out of them — Mr. Dunsford’s bags, 207 — Rust-proof wire gimp, 208 — The spinner which is suitable, 209 — The gaff-hook, 209 and 19 — Rod rest, 209 and 142 — Pike gag — Disgorger — Season and weather —

b 2

FAGfil.

Bagarius Yarrm, their size, 2og— Bag of 1065 lbs.— Placw in a river affected by Goonch, 21 1— The tackle that is suiuble— Gangdica^

213 — Macrones stmghala (or Tengara)^ 214 — Other Siluroidsi 215 . . 207-215 chapter XV.

THE SEETUL, BATCHWA, AND OTHERS.

The ^eetul, its size and peculiarities, 216 — Bait and manner of fishing adapted to it, 217 — Its gameness — Richmond spinner, trout size, 218 — Such a game fish worthy of more attention — Its habit of rolling on the surface, 219 — Opinions of others, 2.20—Mu^tl cascasia as a bait — Mugil corsula as a dish, 221 — The Batchwa, a sporting fish, 222 — The bait and the fly for —

Wire gimp recommended for use with flies, 223 — Cherki and Tengara, 222,

Chapter XVI. The Murral

Nomenclature, 225 — Similarity to a Pike — Habits — How, when, and where to fish for it, 226 — Shooting it — Tackle for Murral, 227 — Live-bait fishing for — Different ways of live-baiting, 229 — Dapping with a dead frog — Baiting with a live frog on Asiatic trimmer, 230 — Other live-baiting — The life of a frog, 232 — Frogs eating frogs — Its power of living out of water — Breathes air, 233 — Buries itself alive — Thrives in ponds and wells — Exhibits parental affection, 234 . . . . . . 225-234

Chapter XVII. Eels

'Good eating — Size, 235 — Setting night-lines for — Gorge hook preferred, 236 235-236

CHAPTER XVIIL

FISHING IN ESTUARIES.

Estuary fishing dependent on the tides, 237 — Small fish ascend by back-flow, 238 — Folynemus tctradactylus or Bd-min, 239 — Colonel W. Osborn’s paper on it — The water in which they are to be found, 240 — They feed on the grey mullet fry — The best time in the tide discussed, 241 — The rod preferred — The line and tackle — Flight of hooks — Baits, 242 — The best way x%i

PAGtS

to ^h-»-The best side of the bridge, 243 — Manceuvring in face of the enemy — ^Fishing, localities, 244 — Sporting season — The fish sickened by putrid Rm e l li n g water — Strength and size of Polynemus — Striking, 245- —

The Committee — M.’s experiences, 246— Fkmban Salmon, 247 —

Unnecessary strength of native tackle, 248 — Dr. Day’s description of Polynemus — The Cock-up or Nair fish {Lates caharifer) — Vernacular names* of — Size of, 249 — Seasqn and water, for — Tackle and bait for — Rons out much line — Manner of spinning for — Of taking bait — Playing, 250 — Time for fishing, 251 — My own ideas, 252 — Dr. Day’s description — The Red Perch roseus) — The Grey Perch, 253— Prawn bait, 254 — Elops