The fishes chiefly used as food in the fresh waters of India, belong to the order Physostomi, especially in its siluroid, cyprinoid, and herring families, as also those classed in the spiny-rayed or Acantbopterygii order. Mahomedans iu Sind eat siluroids; but in general the siluroid, or scale less fishes, as sharks, skates, rays, eels, aro not eaten by Mahomedans or JCR'S. They are very foul feeders. All the spiny-myed or acanthopterygian fishes found in India are good for food. Of the siluroid fishes, the Nagar or Singi (Saceobranchus), and many others, and the carps (Cyprinidte), are all useful for food. The herring family (Clupeithe) are all good, and eels are reckoned wholesome, though natives of India refuse them.
The Audamaners eat the tetrodons, and the Burmese eat the large yellow Xenopterus naritus; others of these genera aro deetned poisonous.
The fecundity of fishes is very varioua. In a hilsa fish, 1,023,645 eggs have been counted ; in a migratory barbel, 410,500 eggs. The mono gamous non - migratory fish appear to breed frequently, and they protect their offspring. In the Cirrhina reba, B., a polygamous non migratory carp, Dr. Day found 41,500 eggs; and in a siluroid, Callichrous canio, II. B., 47,444 ; whilst a monogamous walking-fish or ophio cephalus bad only 4700. The striated walking-fish breeds twice a year, in December and Jime. The male constructs a nest with its tail, amongst the vegetation, and by biting off the ends of the weeds that grow in the water. Hero the eggs aro de posited, the male keeping guard; but should he be killed or captured, the place is taken by his partner. The parents are very fierce at this time, and defend their offspring with great courage.
Dr. Day tells us of vast shoals of some forms of fishes approaching the shores or shallows of the Indian coasts at certain seasons, mostly for breed ing purposes, and. these are often destitute of means of defence, becoming food for their stronger neighbours, or are captured by man for consump tion. He arranges tho Indian fishes, in their economic relations, into three classes,—Firsi, tbo more strictly predaceous forms, which are more or less migratory in their habits, generally in order to follow and prey upon their weaker neighbours; some of these congregate iu shoals, while others lead more solitary lives. Secondly, non-migratory fishes, some of which are likewise predaceous. These usually reside along the shores and back wat,ers, being almost confined to the littoral zone, although a few may extend their range into brackish waters on the one hand, or into the deep sea on the other. Thirdly, those which are more preyed upon than predaceous, consisting of such as live in large assemblages, being gregarious in their habits, and others which lead a more solitary existence.
Among the first, or predaceous division of merino fishes, are some gregarious forms, but such are scarcely so numerous or well fitted for destroying their neighbours as those which. are more solitary in their habits. Their best-known representatives are found in tho spiny-rayed or acanthopterygian order, or else among the carti laginous or chondropterygian fishes. Sane attain to a great size. Thus, Dr. Cantor alludes to a sea perch (Sermnus) exceeding 130 lbs. ; and Dr. Russell to another, which was 7 feet long, 5 feet in girth, and upwards of 300 lbs. in weight. Nearly allied are the Lutiani or Mesoprions, although of somewhat inferior size. excel them in usefulness to man, owing to their being more numerous and coming closer in-shore. The fishes of both genera are generally excellent as food, especially when not too large, and aro much em ployed as such, either fresh, salted, or sun-dried. Among the Sparida3 we find the Pagrus spinifer and several species of Chrysophrys, abundant iu places near tho shores of India, especially during the cold months, and held in great esteem. In
tho family of Polynemida3 are some most valuable fishes, all being good as food, and two affording isinglass. Somo of these have been known to exceed 300 lbs. in weight, especially in estuaries, where they are not uncommon. The justly cele brated mango-fish of tho Bay of Bengal arrives during the S.W. monsoon, about June, and con tinues through the cold season. It ascends large rivers (from the Mahanadi and Ganges to those of Burma and the eastwanls) for tbe purpose of spawning, and is of great repute for its excellent flavour. Natives term it Tapasi, changed by Europeans into Tupsee-mutchee, the original name being derived from certain ascetics. A similarity lia.s been drawn between their unkempt hair and the long tendrils which in this fish spring from the base of the pectoral fins, and exceed in length that of the body. The Maigres, Scimnidm, absent from the Red Sea, become abundant off the coasts of Sind and through the Indian Ocean. Some attain to 5 feet or more in length, but are Sought after rather for the isinglass their air-bladders afford than for their flesh as food, the latter being dry and insipid. The sword-fishes (Xiphiid) are likewise numerous at times off the Coromandel coast during the cold weather, and their flesh is esteemed by the natives, although not brought to the table of Europeans. The horse-mackerels, or Carangidx, are among the most important sea forms to the natives, by whom they are highly esteemed as food. They are very abundant along the Coromandel coast, less so down that of Mala bar, Where the herrings take their place to a great extent Some attain to a large size, and on the coasts of British India are never found t,o be poisonous, as is reputed to be the case elsewhere. Caranx Rottleri reaches 5 feet or more in length, but some species never pass 5 or 6 inches. These fishes are gregarious, and not so fitted for preda ceous habits as some of those already referred to, while the same remarks likewise apply to the next few: genera. The closely allied species of Chori nemus and Tra,ehynotus afford a considerable amount of food t,o man, but, owing to their being dry and insipid, are generally salted or sun-dried. Poinfrets (Stromateidie) are justly esteemed by both Europeans and natives, and they are abun dantly distributed throughout the Indian Ocean. Coming in-shore in large shoals about June, they disappear as suddenly as they come, some forms entirely departing about September. It is a, curious circumstance that in all the adult forms the ventral fins are absent ; in the young of the black species they are very long, but become absorbed as age advances. The ma,ckerel family are exceedingly important, and the common Scomber microlepidotus is very abundant along the western coast of India throughout the cold season, and is extensively salted and sun-dried, but, owing to its rapidly tainting, it is rarely brought to the tables of Europeans it is not nearly so common along the east coas't of Madras and Bay of Bengal, but is found at the Andamans. In India its usual length is about 10 inches, but in certain localities it attains to a foot. Some other forms, which grow to a larger size and are more predaceous than the common mackerel, likewise arrive during the cold season, when they prey extensively on the numerous herrings and other small fish. Among these large species are the tunny and the pelamys ; these are terrors to the shoals of sardines, which appear to afford them desirable food. The seer fishes (Cybium) are held in great esteem by Europeans, and when of a medium size, are among the most delicate for the table. They are quite as predaceous as the tunnies, and attain to three feet and more in length. The voracious and dangerous Sphyrmiim, termed sharks in some places, and barracuda in the West Indies, grow to several feet, and all forms are used by the natives as food.