38 MALAYAN FISHES. 
‘ 
The Bonang (Plataw teira) is a deep-bodied fish which at- 
tains a length of at least 20 inches. Russell says their flavour is 
excellent and Cantor makes the same remark. 
It is known in Australia as the Dark Bat-fish. 
MOON-FISH. 
(DREPANIDAR.) 
The Daun béharu (Drepane punctat«) is a very common fish 
of fair edible value. 
Considerable quantities of this fish have been taken in trawls 
both in India and Ceylon. Sir K. Gupta says they are very much 
sought after and always command a good price in Bengal. They 
are rather too bony to be popular with Europeans in the East. 
“BLACK TREVALLY.” 
(TEUTHIDIDAE.) 
According to Dr. Boulenger’s classification (1902), this family 
comprises a single recent genus, Teuthis, with about 30 species, 
herbivorous fishes from the Indian and Western Pacific Oceans. 
According to Bottard (“ Poissons venimeux,” Paris 1889) the sting 
from the spines of these fishes is much dreaded, and this I can 
vouch for, though personally I have suffered very little incoyvenience 
from the pricks of these spines. 
It will be noticed that Duncker gives the generic synonym 
Ketang to members of this family and this is the name given by 
Malays to the genus Ephippus (CHAETODONTIDAE) which also has 
venomous spines, 
In all species of Teuthis there are 13 dorsal spines and 7 
anal spines, whereas Hphippus has 9 dorsal and 3 anal spines, which 
shews that the Malay system of clas-ification does not agree with 
that adopted by scientists. 
The Dengkis (7. nebulosa) is known on the East coast of 
Australia as the “ Black Trevally ” and the Debam (T. java) is 
also found on the Australian coast. 
They are small fish, fairly common in the markets where they 
find a ready sale. 
GOURAMI, ETC. 
(OSPHROMENIDAE.) 
This family of fresh water fishes is remarkable for several 
reasons : 
From an edible point of view, because it includes the Kalui 
(Osphromenus olfax), known in India as the Gourami, which has a 
world wide reputation as one of the finest flavoured fresh water 
fish known, as well as the Pépuyu, a favourite food fish in Negri 
Sembilan. 
