MALAYAN FISHES. 33 



The " Snappers " include our Ikan merah ^rhich is known as 

 Jenehak in Penang (Lutianus spp.). There are perliaps more 

 than 20 species in local waters of Nvhieh the list in this book g-ives 

 13 only. 



Two or three Snappers are of a brownish colour, but the 

 •colouring of the rest of this brilliant family ranges between crimson, 

 scarlet and golden, while some have ^dolet, purple and blue liands. 



They are all good edible fish and no swagger dinner in Singa- 

 pore is supposed to be complete unless Ikan merah appears on 

 the menu. Their popularity makes them expensive. 



"WHITINGS." 



(SILLAGINIDAE.) 



The Bulus-bulus (Sillago spp.) is one of our common market 

 iish and can be ol^tained all the year round, though never in large 

 quantities. 



The SiUago siliama is known in Madras as '" \A1iitiug '" and 

 Sillago maculata is called the Trumpeter '\A^iiting in Queensland 

 and NeAv South Wales where it is gTeatly valued for its excellence 

 as a food fish. 



They frequent shallow water and sandy bottoms where they 

 feed on small crustaceans, worm,=, sand hoppers, etc. There is 

 prohably no cleaner feeding fisli than the Whiting, a fact wliich 

 perhaps accounts in some measure for its delicate flavour and 

 whole.-omencss. 



Both 'our varieties, whether adult or young, are very shy and 

 instantly Ijury themselves in the sand on the appearance of any 

 ■danger. liven a jiassing dark cloud leads to their immediate dis- 

 appearance into the sand wheiice they emerge a few moments later. 

 Eoughley writing of anotlier .species, wliich has the same hal)it 

 5ays : 



"' In the capture of this fish the hauling net is principally 

 used. It displays considerable resource in evading the net, 

 giving at times much trouble to the fisherman. As it is hauled 

 near the shore, man}- fish, perceiving that they have been 

 trajjped, quickly burrow into the .5and. Were not the fisher- 

 man alert to this cunning method of evasion, a large number 

 of fish would be lost, but when it is known that the haul con- 

 sists, in the main, of Whiting, they carefully tramp over the 

 sand enclosed by the net and upon feeling any movement 

 beneath their feet, quickly grab the concealed fish." 

 Wliiting fishing is perhaps the nearest thing to trout fisliing 

 that the sea-angler can obtain. A light rod, fine tackle and small 

 hooks are required and the sand flats should be fished on the flood 

 tide. The bait should be cast as far as pos-ible. The fish will he 

 taken in ^"ater only ankle deep and the best bait are prawns, small 

 bivalves, Remis, Kepah, etc., which are found on sandy beaches, 

 and beach worms, Pumpun sarong and Pumpun darat. 



