18 MALAYAN FISHES. 



The roe of the Terubok (Telor terubok) is a highly valuect 

 delicacy and the fish are still caught in large quantities near Beng- 

 kalis (iSialv) and the roes dried and salted for export. Cantor 

 writing in 1850, states that -iO years ago the Eaja of Siak is said 

 to have ol^tained an annual revenue of 7'2,000 guilders from the 

 Terubok roe industry alone. 



The Selangat of the southern i^art of the Peninsula is known, 

 as Nandong in Penang and Kedah, and as Kebasi on the East 

 coast. It is also known to the Filipinos as Kabasi. The English 

 or American name for it is the Basling Siiad and in Australia a 

 member of the same suib-family is known aS the Bonv Bream or 

 " Hair-back." 



It is a bony little fish but very plentiful and cheap ; it is dried 

 and salted in enormous quantities both for local consumption and 

 export. 



The Tamban is one of our commonest fish and will eventually 

 be one of our most important and valuable food fishes. 



Dr. Cantor who wrote a catalogue of Malayan Fishes in 1850^ 

 says of the Tamban bulat: "It is highly valued for its delicate 

 flavour and passes commonly as a " sardine ' '' : and of the Tamban 

 nipis he writes, " They pass in the Settlements of the Straits under 

 the denomination of ' Sardines ' in imitation of which they are 

 sometimes preserved in oil.'' 



The Moros in the Philippines have the same name Tamban 

 for this fish and Scale writes " Any of these sardines would compare 

 favourably with the species put up in oil on the Pacific Coast." 



^\'e continue to import thousands of cases of sardines annually 

 into the Straits and F. M. S., while our seas swarm with sardines. 



It is popularly supposed that sardines are preserved in olive 

 oil but I have more than a suspicion that refined coconut oil, sesame 

 or gingelly oil, and other vegetable oils, which are largely exported 

 from the East, return to us with the imported tinned herrings and 

 sardines. 



The Bulu ayam and Bill's (Moro: Dilis) are anchovies and 

 sprats. 



Stead writing of the Engranlia mitipodinn of Australia, says, 

 " For all practical and economic purposes there is no difi^erence be- 

 tween our Anchovies and tlie famous fishes of that name in the 

 Mediterranean Sea." 



A glance at tlie systematic list of members ofi the herring family 

 will show that wc luu'e at least 8 species of Engrmdis and 3 species 

 of Stole phor IIS. 



