36 MALAYAN FISHES. 



the little fish would he hauled in until the boats were deep in the 

 water and the Eoyal ladies exhausted. At the right season, there 

 are few more delicate flavoured fish than the Kerisi and they re- 

 mind one of really good Whiting. 



But they must he absolutely fresh and caught on the right 

 ground ; if out of season or stale, Kerisi have an unpleasant 

 tang about them. 



The Delah (Caesio spp.) are small but good eating, the best 

 being, perhaps, C. ijinjalu which is also known as Ikan merah 

 china and is in no way inferior to the Ikan merah as a table 

 delicacy. 



Of the genus Spams, three species are mentioned in this book, 

 one of 'which, the Beras-beras {S. safha) , is the TarwMne of 

 Queensland and Xew South Wales, where it is considered a good 

 edil)le fish. 



It is not to 1)0 compared however, either from a sporting or 

 an edible point of view, with its congener the Black Bream {S. 

 ausiralis), wliich has not been recorded as inhabiting Malayan 

 waters. 



The Asoh-asoh (Lethrinus nebulosiis) is another useful fish 

 in this family. The inside of its mouth is orange coloured as is 

 that of its relative the Yellow-mouthed Snapper (L. chrysostomus) 

 of Australia. 



RED MULLETS. 



(MULLIDAE.) 



Members of this family are known as Eed Mullets in (Jreat 

 Britain and as " Goat-fishes '" or " Surmullets " in America. 



The British species are Mtdlus harhatus and M. siirinidelus, 

 remarkable for their beautiful pink or red colour, and much valued 

 on the market, although no lo]iger held in the high estimation for 

 which they were noted by the Eonians. 



Biji nangka or Lebai are the Malayan generic names of our 

 local member,; of this family and are descriptive. The Bij< 

 nangka (Jack-fruit seed) is yellow and has a filamentous process 

 similar to. the barbel ot the Ked Mullet; a Lebai is a Malay of 

 exceptional ]}ious habit, and it will be noticed that he almost in- 

 variably sports a beard consisting, as a rule, of about two or three 

 long hairs, and his fellow countrymen have hit ofi' the resemblance 

 to the fi.--h, which has two long barbels dependent from the lower 

 jaw. 



The Ikan lebai are remarkably beautiful fishes and their 

 brilliant colouring contrasts somewhat with the solemn aspect of 

 the head, which is, perhaps, an additional reason for the Malay 

 nickname. 



One of our local species (Upeneus Iragida) is known in Aus- 

 tralia as the Bar-tailed Goat-fish. 



