Some of Oar Food Fishes. 49 



In conclusion it may be said that our rivers, creeks and trenches 

 abound with fishes, all of which are wholesome. The supply is fairly 

 large, especially near the railway station, Georgetown, and in the villages, 

 but it is rarely that a good selection can be made in the Stabroek 

 Market. There is no system and no arrangement, except in the case of 

 the Ice Depot, for keeping fishes beyond a few hours. Possibly in the 

 near future ice will be used to a greater extent, with corresponding 

 advantage. We want to be able to get to order any fish we require, 

 which at present is impossible. 



NOTES ON THE FISHES OF NEW AMSTERDAM MARKET. 



By the Rev. Jas. Aiken, M.A. 



I have been asked by the author of the foregoing article to add a 

 note on the fishes of the New Amsterdam market. For the most part 

 they are of course identical with those mentioned by Mr. Rodway as for 

 sale in Georgetown, except for notable omissions such as Snapper which, 

 so far as I know, does not appear on the Berbice cook's list. The local 

 names in use are in some cases different and the group represented by 

 Lau-lau is extended by Manari and Bringle or Blaika, distinctions made 

 by the fishermen of the lower reaches of the river as well as by the 

 Indians of the upper reaches. Blaika is known as an isinglass yielding 

 fish almost equal to the Gilbacker. The swimbladder of the former is 

 broader and thicker but shorter than in the latter. A fish named Tam- 

 poca similar to Gilbacker is spoken of by fishermen and Kakwarri and 

 Sand-koker fish seem to distinguish the larger and smaller specimens of 

 one species. Cooleetee, which is caught, as are also Blaika, Manari and 

 Lau-lau when the sweet water is felt as far down as New Amsterdam, is 

 distinguished in the higher reaches from Tiger fish and may be the 

 Arekaima (P. arekaima) or perhaps P. notatus. On the Cooleetee, 

 I found at De Velde in February of the present year a very curious 

 fish tick of which I hope to give a description and drawings in a 

 subsequent issue of this journal. Meantime I have sent the specimen 

 away for identification. 



In the Catfish group Highwata fish, Bum-bum and Dawalla are dis- 

 tinguished, and amongst the Bashaws, Table-bashaw, Dag-bashaw and 

 Snapper-bashaw which latter is red " like snapper ** according to the 

 somewhat vague reason given me for the name. Probably the ' Grouper ; 

 of the Georgetown market and one of the Bashaws known in New Am- 

 sterdam is identical. A "fish that eat barnacle " of which I have heard 

 is probably, from the description of the big strong spine of the dorsal fin. 

 one of the Loricarias while Salmon Garfish have been named to me as 

 used for food. Hoomah is considered distinct from Perai. and a curious 

 variant of the name Banja-man is Banja-mary. The local fishermen 

 stoutly avers that " butter fish " is " butter fish " and nothing else, but iu 



