180 FISHERIES OF THE ORIENTAL REGION, 



of the Malay Peninsula. It is a very pretty little fish, olive 

 above and deep blood-red below, with black bands from the head, 

 and black edges to the scales. Head scaly and depressed, back 

 slightly arched. Cantor says of this fish : " When it is in a 

 state of quiet, with the fins at rest, the dull colours present 

 nothinc: remarkable. But if two are brought within sisrht of each 

 other, or if one sees its own image in a looking-glass, the little 

 creature becomes suddenly excited, the raised fins and the whole 

 body shine with metallic colours of dazzling beauty, while the 

 projected gill membrane, waving like a l)lack frill round the 

 thi'oat, adds something grotesque 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, 

 instantly become quiet. The description was drawn up in 1840 

 at Singapore, where a gentleman had been presented with several 

 by the King of Siam. They were kept singly in glasses of water, 

 fed with larvas of mosquitoes, and had thus lived for many 

 months. The Siamese are as infatuated with the combats of 

 these fishes as the Malays are with their cock-fights, and stake 

 considerable sums, and sometimes their own jiersons and their 

 families, on the issue. The license of exhibiting fish-fights is 

 farmed, and affords a considerable annual revenue to the King of 

 Siam." Cantor, " Catal. Malayan Fishes," p. 87. 



Ord. PHYSOSTOMI— ^«Hi. SILURID.-E OR CAT-FISHES. 



Mud fishes Avith naked skins or with osseous scutes, but without 

 scales, barbels always present ; air bladder generally present ; 

 communicating with the organ of hearing. All these fishes are 

 furnished with formidable spines about the head, which give such 

 venomous wounds that loss of limb or life sometimes results. 



Clarias magur, B1. Ikan-keeba of the Malays. Common in 

 fre.sh and brackish water, and attaining at least a foot and a half 

 in length. It is said to be amphibious and will live long after its 

 removal from water. The pectoral fin has a serrated spine, but 

 covered with skin. 



