MALAYAN PISHES. 17 



HERRINGS. 



(CLUPEIDAE.) 



This is a very lartje and important family. The members 

 Tancfe in size from the Parang-parang {Chirocentrus dorab) 

 which is said to exceed a length of 12 feet to the Bilis {Stole- 

 plioriis tri) which measures not more than 3 or 4 inches. 



Altliough this family is of great commercial importance in 

 Malaya, and the Herrinos, Shad, Sprat, Sardines, White-bait and 

 Anchovies belono-ing to it are liighly esteemed for their flavour and 

 food value by the Malays and all P^astem races, they are unknown 

 to the great majority of European residents in this part of the 

 world, with the exception of the Bilis, which is occasionally teen 

 .served as "White l)ait " or as a minbal with curries or in l)ottled 

 form as Macasisar Eed fish. 



From an economic point of view this family is second to none 

 in importance and the fact that some of tlie most valuable kinds 

 associate at certain periods in immense slioals accounts for the use- 

 fulness of tlie family as a food su])i)ly. 



The following are the most important members of tlie herring 

 family in our waters : 



The Parang-parang (Chirocenirus dorab). the Terubok 

 (Cliipea [AlosK] inacnmi), the Selangat (Dorosoma spp.), the 

 Tamban {CUipeft (Harengiila) spp.), (DiissiiDiieria spp.) and 

 (Hpratelloides spp.). tlie Bilis (SlolepJionis spp.) and the Bulu 

 ayam (Engraiilis spp.). 



The Parang-parang is a very bony fish of excellent fiavour 

 and its capture by hand line ]jr(ivides a livelihood for several 

 hundred Malays in Singapore alone. 



Pas.3enger,s l)y steamers proceeding through the Eastern en- 

 trance to Singa])ore roads will see a large number of small canoes 

 in the deejj water channel and will hear the noise of the rattles, 

 which each Malay fisherman wields unceasingly. These rattles do 

 not attract the fish, but kee]) the hand occupied and the fisherman 

 •on the " qui vive."' The Parang-parang is not a greedy biter and 

 does not stay in one place. He is a rapid swimming predacious fish 

 who has no time for more than a snap as he darts through the water. 

 Bites are usually few and far between and an inexpert or somnolent 

 fisherman would catch nothing. AVith an ever moving hand en- 

 gasjed with a rattle the fish is struck and hooked almost at the in- 

 stant he bites. 



The Terubok is a Shad and is considerably larger than the 

 ordinary herring. It is known to Europeans in India as the 

 " Hilsa " or " Sable fish." Day says : 



" They are excellent as food until they have deposited 

 their ova, when they become thin and positively unwholesome. 

 Their flavour has been compared to a combination of that of 

 the salmon and herrijig: tliev are rather heavy of digestion."' 



