: MALAYAN FISHES. 37 
All these fishes are small, rarely exceeding 10 inches in length, 
Very little is known regarding their habits or distribution and they 
are not at present of much economic importance, 
I have taken a few in a trawl near Penang and there is a pos- 
sibility that with new methods of fishing they may become useful 
market fish. 
Red Mullet are known to visit the British coasts, in vast shoals, 
at rare intervals. 
BAT-FISHES. 
(SCORPIDIDAE.) 
As far as I know, these fish are represented in our waters by 
the genus Psettus only. 
The Gédabang or Nyior-nyior (P. argenteus) is known in 
Australia as the Silvery Bat-fish. It attains a length of about 
eight or nine inches only and its breadth is about equal to its length, 
It is common and of fairly good edible quality but is not, at present, 
of importance, 
The Nyior-nyior (P. falciformis) is also a small fish attain- 
ing a length of perhaps 9 or 10 inches. 
CORAL FISHES. 
‘ (CHAETODONTIDAE.) 
A large group of about 200 species of marine carnivorous 
fishes, confined to the Tropics, mostly of small size and remarkable 
for their singular forms and markings and brilliant colours, 
They are particularly abundant about volcanic rocks and coral 
reefs; but some ascend estuaries and tidal rivers, though not to any 
great distance. 
The Ketang (Hphippus argus) ranges from the Indian Ocean 
to China and Australia, attaining a foot in length. If taken in the 
sea or in clean back-waters it is an excellent edible fish, but those 
captured in the vicinity of polluted rivers should be avoided, as 
there is evidence that they are foul feeders. . 
Hamilton Buchanan remarks of it, “ When newly caught it is 
a fi-h of great beauty, easy digestion, and excellent flavour: but 
after death it soon becomes soft and strong tasting.’ In Ceylon 
“Tt is generally esteemed, its flesh partaking the flavour of trout ” 
(Bennett). 
This fish and its congener (HE. multifasciatus) are favourably 
known in Australia as Butter-fish and are a common table fish in 
hotels and restaurants. 
Ikan inggu or Ikan babi are Malay equivalents for the genus 
Holacanthus. The former term applying to the colouration and 
the latter to the rather pig-like profile and the presence, in all 
these fishes, of a pair of pre-opercular spines directed backwards, 
which are considered to resemble boar’s tusks. 
