FRESH-WATER FISHES OF CEYLON. 249 



have been kept in unnatural surroundings, that is to say, in a cement 

 tank, the water in which is shallow, hot, and entirely devoid of all 

 vegetation, and as gourami are almost, if not entirely, herbivorous 

 in their habits, it cannot be said they have had much encouragement 

 to produce and rear families. As an instance of the importance 

 attaching to ample aqueous vegetation where these fishes are 

 concerned, I may say that two young specimens were turned into 

 a small tank (well supplied with water lilies and grasses) by Dr. 

 Willey as recently as two and a half years ago, and although the 

 space is very restricted, they have at least quadrupled in weight 

 during that time. That they have not produced young may easily 

 be explained by the fact that they are probably of the same sex. 

 Now that we know gourami will thrive in Ceylon , no doubt a more 

 ambitious attempt will be made to introduce them into our rivers 

 and tanks, and if this is done a most important step will have been 

 taken in the direction of improving and supplementing our somewhat 

 meagre fresh-water fish supply. I have alreadj^ called attention 

 elsewhere* to the suitability of Kandy reservoir for purpose of 

 further experiment with gourami, and take this opportunity of again 

 pressing the claims of that ideal locality as a breeding ground and 

 nursery for Osphromenus olfax. 



But to return to the great family of the carps, numerous represen- 

 tatives of which are to be found in our inland waters. 



Barhus tor we have already noticed, and although this fine fish 

 cannot vie with his Indian brother in point of size, he is none the 

 less far and away the best fresh-water fish — from the sportsman's 

 point of view — we have. Near relations of his found in most of our 

 fresh- water streams, and taking them in order of importance, are : 

 Barhus chrysopoma, Cirrhina cirrhosa, Barhus filamentosus, B. 

 mahecola, Laheo calhasu, Barhus Innominatus, dorsalis, porcellus 

 and Rashora daniconius ; all of them edible , and most of them of 

 great economic value. 



The moda {Lates calcarifer), of which I spoke just now as being an 

 erratic breeder, is one of those curious fish that would appear to be 

 equally at home in either salt or fresh water, and is a most valuable 

 though somewhat neglected food fish. 



In Bengal, where it is known as Beckti, the moda stands in very 

 high repute, not only amongst the people of the country, but with 

 Europeans also, and commands about the highest price of any fish 

 in the market. In appearance the flesh is firm, white, and com- 

 paratively free of bones , while if not too old the flavour is distinctly 

 delicate. In the north of Ceylon, and more particularly at Elephant 

 Pass, this fish (known there by its Tamil name of Jcodawa) is 

 extraordinarily plentiful at certain times of the year — generally 

 in November and December — and annually attracts a number of 



Spolia Zeylanica, Vol. VII,, Part XXVIII. 



