40 MALAYAN FISHES. 
the caladium leaves imparting a very fine flavour to the fish. 
They will rise to a fly or beetle, and some flowers , particularly 
a large Hibiscus. Anyone intending to keep these fish in stock 
ponds is advised to keep the pond free from pollution and to feed 
the fish regularly. It is only in this way that rapid growth and 
good flavour can be obtained. 
They attain a length of two feet, a weight of at least 20 pounds 
and in shape resemble the turbot. 
The Pépuyu or Bétok (Anabas scandens) has a world wide 
reputation as the Climbing Perch. Gunther? tells us that in 1797 
Daldorf in a memoir communicated to the Linnean Society of 
London mentions that he had himself taken, in 1791, an Anabas 
in the act of ascending a palm tree (Palmyra) which grew near a 
pond. The fish had reached the height of 5 feet and was going 
still higher. He jgoes on to say that the fish is named in the 
Malayan language the “Tree Climber,” which is a mistake. He 
should, I think, have said the Malayalam language. See Day 
(Fishes of India) Undi colli. 
Meek? writes, 
Anabas has been frequently obtained on the ground and 
a specimen now in the collection of Armstrong Colleg ge, ob- 
tained from near Bangkok was found crossing the road 50 
yards from the nearest water. It is named the climbing perch 
from the habit it has of climbing up the rough bark of trees by 
movements of the spine-clad opercula. 
“The method of progression out of the water and the 
climbing of palms and palmyra trees, especially after heavy 
rains, have been repeatedly observed.” 
The Negri Sembilan Malays bave a saying, often’ quoted, which 
hits off the high estimation in which this little fish is held by inland 
dwellers: Jikalau sudah minum ayer gopong bertali ijok, sudah 
makan pepuyu, payah nak ee atl an negri int: which may be 
roughly translated: When a visitor has drunk the water and eaten 
the fish of this country, he i: loath to leave ‘it. 
The Ikan Pélaga or Bélaga (Betta spp.) probably derives its 
name from Siam where it is known as Pla Kat (Pla, fish; Kat, a 
fighter). 
It is common throughout the Peninsula and may be caught in 
most of the ponds and ditches in Singapore. 
Cantor relates that the Siameze are infatuated with the com- 
bats of these fish, staking on the issue considerable sums, and some- 
times their own persons and families. 
The licence to fight these fish used to be farmed in Siam and 
brought in a considerable revenue to the King. 
1 Study of Fishes, p. 516. 
2 Migrations of Fish, 1916. 
