94 MADRAS FISHERIES BULLETIN VOL. XIV, 



Murrel {Opliiocephalus), a valuable food fish in India, and of the 

 Gourami {Osphromoius gouranii), a highly esteemed Javanese 

 fish now in course of introduction into this country by the 

 Madras Fisheries Department. Both are nest-1 uilding fishes, 

 forming them among the stems of water plants. The parent Murrel 

 (Tam. Viral) are particularly jealous of any prying into their 

 domestic affairs when they are guarding their eggs in the nest ; 

 they have been known to jump out of the water and seize the nose 

 or a finger of a too inquisitive short-sighted visitor; the flutter of a 

 handkerchief will always rouse them to an attempt to seize it. 



The Climbing Perch {Auabas scandeiis) is another fresh-water fish 

 usually to be seen in one of the table aquaria. It has special 

 mechanism for breathing in air as well as in water, as also 

 has the Murrel ; both are able on occasion to leave the water 

 and travel over marshland or grass sward. It has been proved 

 in Madras that the former are able to climb out of water up a 

 sheet of cloth held tightly in a vertical position and there is 

 no reason to doubt that individuals may occasionally climb 

 some distance up the rough bark of a tree margining a pond or 

 stream. Their Tamil name is suggestive in this connexion — 

 Panai eri keudai, "the perch that climbs Palmyra palms." 



In yet another table aquarium are shown specimens of the two 

 tiny fishes H iplosliilus inclaiiostigina and Panchax parvus (Tam. 

 Miiiidakkaii/iiparavai), that have been found by experience to be the 

 most effective of the kinds which habitually prey upon the larvse 

 of mosquitoes when they are present in the same pond or well. 

 Many thousands of these are bred annually in the culture ponds 

 of the Fisheries Department whence they are sent out in special 

 carriers to Municipalities and others, for introduction into ponds 

 and wells infested with mosquito larvee. When properly introduced 

 and cared for, the way in which the mosquitoes of the neigh- 

 bourhood diminish in numbers is a most striking testimony to 

 the efficacy of this simple method of combating" one phase of the 

 mosquito plague. 



Other useful larvicidal fish for fresh water are various small 

 species of Barbus, as Barbus ticto, together with Polyacaiithus 

 cupanus, while Therapoii jarbua is excellent in backwaters end 

 estuaries. 



Till the larger aquarium which is planned be built, there is 

 no opportunity to show any of the myriads of smaller and e lually 



