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MALAYAN FISHES. 
The Catla (Catla buchanant) of India, Burma and Siam has. 
not yet been identified in our rivers and as it attains a length of 
at least 6 feet and a corresponding weight, I suggest the quest of 
the Catla, as a sound sporting proposition, to the anglers of Kuala 
Lipis, and other up country stations, with a good chance of success, 
EELS. 
ANGUILLIDAE, MURAENIDAE, CONGRIDAE, ETC. 
The Eels are placed on the Order ApoprEs which has several 
families and not less than 30 species, represented in Malayan 
waters. Eels are more popular perhaps with the Chinese than 
with any other race in Malaya. The Congers (Malong) are quite 
common and find a ready sale in the markets. 
One eel (Lhyrsoidea macrura) known as the Pampan or 
Pompa by the Javanese is probably the largest eel in the world 
and exceeds 10 feet in length. It has been found in the shallow 
seas and estuaries, and even rivers, of Sumatra, New Guinea, Natal, 
India, Ceylon and Queensland, but has not yet been recorded by 
local scientists, 
SWAMP-EELS. 
SYMBRANCHIDAE. 
The Bélut (Monopterus albus) is confined to the fresh or 
brackish waters of Burma, the Malay Archipelago and China. 
“ This eel is numerous at Chusan, in streamlets, canals. 
and estuaries. As it is a favourite article of food it is kept by 
the inhabitants of Chusan in large jars, with fresh water. But 
it is capable of living a considerable time out of water. It is 
of voracious habits, feeding on smaller fishes, and it takes 
hooks baited with earthworms.” (Cantor). 
SEA-HORSES AND SKELETON-FISHES. 
(SYNGNATHIDAE & AMPHISILIDAE.) 
The little Sea-Horse, Kuda-kuda laut (Hippocampus spp.), 
which is so like the conventional knight of the chess-board, is a 
familiar object in most Museums. It has, of course, no economic 
value. 
A peculiarity of this curious family is that “the males are 
provided with a pouch (in some species there is only a broad groove) 
in which the eggs are hatched after being deposited by the female. 
“ The males take full charge of them, and the young remain in 
the pouch usually for a short time, after being hatched.” (Stead), 
The Skeleton-Fish, as I have called it, Amphistle scutata, is 
known to Malays as Ikan kéring. It is only a few inches long 
and, as it has practically no flesh on its bony carcase, it has no 
edible value, 
