FIGHTING-FISH 4 ! 3 



five dark vertical bands. It attains a weight of fully 20 Ibs., and, when kept 

 in clean water, is stated to be the best flavoured fresh- water fish in South-Eastern 

 Asia, As it is extremely tenacious of life, and likewise almost omnivorous in its 

 diet, it is in every way admirably adapted for transportation and acclimatisation. 



Fighting-Fish. 



THE GURAMI (^ nat. size). 



A fourth genus (Betta), distinguished by the short dorsal fin 

 occupying the middle of the back, and without any pungent spine, 

 the long anal, and the production of the outer ray of the five-rayed pelvic fins, 

 must also be mentioned on account of its containing the so-called fighting-fish 

 (B. pugnax), which is bred by the Siamese for the sake of the sport afforded by 

 its pugnacious propensities. Cantor writes that, " when the fish is in a state of 

 quiet, its dull colours present nothing remarkable ; but if two be brought together,, 

 or if one sees its own image in a looking-glass, the little creature becomes suddenly 

 excited, the raised fin and the whole body shine with metallic colours of dazzling 

 beauty, while the projected gill-membrane, waving like a black frill round the 

 throat, adds something of grotesqueness to the general appearance. In this state 

 it makes repeated darts at its real or reflected antagonist. But both, when taken 

 out of each other's sight, become instantly quiet. This description was drawn up 

 in 1840 at Singapore, by a gentleman who had been presented with several by the 

 King of Siam. They were kept in glasses of water, fed with larvae of mosquitoes, 

 and had thus lived for many months. The Siamese are as infatuated with the 

 combats of these fish as the Malays are with their cock-fights, staking on the issue 

 considerable sums, and sometimes their own persons and families. The licence to 

 exhibit fish-fights is farmed, and brings a considerable annual revenue to the King 

 of Siam. The species abounds in the rivulets at the foot of the hills of Penang." 



