SUNIER: Marine fish-ponds of Batavia. — 303 
“their own food in the sea ponds. It is supposed that they eat a fine 
“moss which is quite common there”. 
It appears from ALVIN SEALE’s (?!A) statements about the milkfish 
in his well-known article: “The Fishery resources of the Philippine 
Islands” (pg. 519—521 incl.) that the rearing of Chanos chanos (FORSK.) 
at Malabon and other places near Manila is carried on in much the same 
way as at Batavia and other places in Java. In the Philippines also the 
young of Chanos chanos (FORSK.) are captured in the sea along the 
beaches and placed in earthen jars full of water to be conveyed to the 
fish ponds, frequently a hundred miles distant. Thirty-three percent of 
those young should reach marketable size (cf. our page 223). 
ALVIN SEALE (?'4) also mentions the swimming against the current 
of Chanos chanos (FORSK.), reared in fish-ponds. 
Further he says that the milkfish is particularly adapted to pond-culture, 
being a vegetable feeder of rapid growth. According to ALVIN SEALE (2! A) 
the food of the awa in the Philippine sea-ponds consists of Oedogonium |) 
(Chlorophyceae, Ulotrichales) i.e. a green filamentous alga comparable 
with the Chaetomorpha on which the bandeng feeds in the Batavia 
empangs. 
I further quote the following passages from SEALE’s (2'A) article: 
“If it is desired to cultivate the food alga” (scil. Oedogonium) “the water 
“is allowed to drain off and the clay is exposed to the full power of the 
“sun, The alga rapidly makes its appearance and a little water is then 
“permitted to cover the bottom. This is gradually increased as the Oedogonium 
“develops . BS ee Maca Re HG Gee eet ater es aud ra le Ave 
“The Oedogonium is sometimes purchased and placed in an 
“exhausted pond” (cf. our pages 211 and 213). . ANT pre Seal SR 
“When the fry are to be planted in the pond, the water is 
“again allowed to drain off and the alga is partially killed by the 
“hot sun. This, it is claimed, renders the Oedogonium soft and fragile 
“for the tiny mouths.” 5 
This latter passage reminds us of the fact, mentioned in my Chapter V 
(cf. pgs. 211 and 218) that the Chaetomorpha-vegetation of the Batavia 
empangs is not at its best as bandeng-food until it begins to grow old and 
turn yellow. ALVIN SEALE (24) however is not speaking here of the 
food of the larger Chanos chanos (FORSK). but of that of the awa-fry, which, 
as | mentioned in Chapter V, feeds in the Batavia empangs on 
“tay-ayer”. 
MAXWELL (%) only quotes some passages from ALVIN SEALE (?!A), 
') According to ENGLER and PRANTL (!?) Oedogonium occurs in fresh and slightly 
brackish water. It would be interesting to know in this connection which is the salinity 
of the water in the Philippine sea-ponds and whether SEALE’s (?!A) determination is 
correct. The question also arises, whether Chaetomorpha does not occur also in the 
Philippine marine fish-ponds. 
