32 MALAYAN FISHES. 
The Siakap or Kakap (Lates calcarifer) is also found in the 
seas and estuaries of India where it is known to Europeans as the 
“ Cock-up ” and its range extends to Queensland and Western Aus- 
tralia, where it is generally known as the “ Barramundi.” 
It is a fine sporting fish and runs to a considerable size. The 
largest that I have heard of was taken in the Bay of Bengal by the 
Government trawler “Golden Crown” and weighed 580 pounds. 
Before I read of this fish I used to be satisfied with 40 or 50: 
pounders. 
The Kerapu (/pinephelus spp.) are very well represented in 
our waters and are fine edible fish. ‘Some species lose their bright 
colouring soon after they are caught and have a dull mottled ap- 
pearance when exhibited in the fish market which would not attract 
a purchaser unacquainted with the fish. From an edible point of 
view the Kérapu differs little from the Ikan merah, the latter 
fish owing most of its popularity to its colour, 
Kerapu from 50 to 76 pounds in weight are occasionally seen 
in the markets and the Kérétang (EH. pantherinus) is commonly 
seen up to two or three hundred pounds in weight. Any Malay 
fisherman will tell you of a Kérétang of fabulous size which he 
hooked and fought for hours, being worsted in the end because his. 
boat and gear were too light to make any impression on the fish. 
Very large ones are occasionally taken in fishing stakes: 
(Kelong) and I have heard that the captors, on these occasions, 
tickle the monster until they get it quiet and then pass a strong 
rotan through its gills by which it is finally secured and hauled up. 
The largest Kérétang I ever saw was taken by a Malay and 
myself. We had to sink our boat after we had fought the fish to a 
finish in order to load it; the weight, for there were no means 
of weighing it, was estimated at 6 piculs, i.e. round about 800 
pounds, 
This fish appears to me to be identical with the Queensland 
Groper illustrated in Stead’s “ Edible Fishes of New South Wales” 
under the name Promicrops itaiara. 
I have read that this fish derives its name Groper from its 
habit of groping about the rocks but I suggest that the name origin- 
ated in Malaya or India. The Tamil name is Kurrapu. The 
Malay name is Kérapu. The Brunei Malays know it as Kurapa. 
In the Philippines it is known to the Filipinos as Garropa from 
which the transition to Groper or Grouper is a slight one. 
One of our Kerapu (EH. fauvina) is known in Australia under 
the names Brown-spotted Hind and Black-spotted Rock-cod, and of 
this fish Roughley writes, “ It is of fine edible quality and grows to 
a length of at least four feet.” 
In America members of this family are known as Sea-Bass. 
