28 MALAYAN FISHES. 
POMFRETS. 
(STROMATEIDAE.) 
The Bawal is one of our well known and most popular edible 
fish and takes a high place among our very best food fishes, 
Of the three species known, the Bawal chermin (Stromateus 
atous) is most esteemed, though all are good. 
The Bawal puteh and Bawal itam (8S. cinereus) are iden- 
tical, the fish getting darker as it reaches maturity. A shoal of 
immature fishes of this species seen on a calm, clear night is a 
most beautiful sight. In the reflected light of the moon, they look 
like tiny silvery stars. The Malays call them Bawal bintang. 
When mature they are a darker gray colour. 
The mature Bawal itam are very much better eating than the 
immature Bawal puteh. 
The Bawal tambak (S. niger) is the largest of the family. 
It grows to a length of two feet and is excellent eating. 
* These fishes are considered by fishermen the stupidest fish that 
swim. They have a curious sheep-like habit of huddling together 
and are also afflicted with a kind of ovine curiosity. They will 
follow anything that excites their curiosity such as a boat and this 
habit leads to their capture. 
When a shoal is observed the fishermen manoeuyre their boat 
so as to attract the interest of the fish until they are all following 
in a compact flock. At the same time the boat is taking a circular 
course and the net is being shot very quietly. At the right moment 
all the fishermen raise a tremendous din with clappers and at the 
same time splash the water with their paddles. The shoal does a 
perfect right-about turn and each fish dashes headlong into the net. 
MURREL. 
(OPHIOCEPHALIDAE.) 
These fresh-water fishes are provided with a respiratory organ: 
on each side, above and communicating with the gills, which 
enables them to breath atmospheric air. 
They can live for long periods out of water and travel over the 
land from one piece of water to another. They are useful food fish 
and well adapted for pond culture provided that the pond is well 
stocked with the small fish and frogs on which they feed, but if the 
food runs short, they will go elsewhere. 
Day writes, “ Jugglers both in India and China exhibit these 
fishes walking on the land, and children amuse themselves by 
making them crawl along.” 
The young as a rule are of a more or less orange or scarlet 
colour, 
