42 MALAYAN FISHES. 



These nets in the Kuropean Labnis are made of sea-weeds, 

 zoophytes, corals, broken shells, etc.. and are the Avork of both the 

 male and female. It is also in tliis family that ;-leep was first 

 observed in fishes, and this has been fnlly verified by Mobius, on 

 Labrus niprcstis in an ac|narium. the fish seekinsj a sleeping place 

 ^t night and laying itself down to rest on one side.^ 



Tokak is the generic name ap])lied by Malays to those mem- 

 bers of this family which are provided with strong canine-like teeth. 

 (See Wilkinson's Dictionary, p. 2(11. Tokak. Biting, used of 

 (logs, sharks, tigers, and other animals which n=e their teeth as a 

 weapon of offence.) 



The teeth of tliese fislies are used liowover for cm -liing shells, 

 'Coral, etc. 



A Tokak {Cliaerops oinnopieru^) is known in Xew South 

 Wales and (^leensland as tlie Blue-spotted Groper. 



Little use is made of this large family of fine edible fishes from 

 a commercial point of view. 



Their capture is confined to the hand line and to basket traps. 

 Their habitat, deep water in the vicinity of coral reefs, renders the 

 use of ordinary nets impossible but the trammel net which is un- 

 known in this region should prove effective. 



Many members of this family attain a weight of 50 pounds. 



PARROT-WRASSES. 



(JSCABIDAE.) 



Tliis family is closely allied to the preceding, with which they 

 have been usually united, but dift'ering m the more or less coalescent 

 teeth, forming, often, a parrot-like lieak. 



I have placed the Bechok in this family and also among the 

 Labeidae as there are several species. 



Mr. A. W. H. Hamilton, who is an autliority on Malayan sea- 

 fishes, tells me that the Malays of the Western part of Singapore 

 confine tlie synonym Bechok to a fisli wdth green teeth, which 

 seems to identifv his fish as Pseudodax moluccanns (Dav, 2nd 

 ■edition Vol. II, p. 421). 



HORSE MACKERELS. 



{CARAyOIDAE.) 



A large and important family of carnivorous fishes, all of 

 which are edible and many of large size. 



Members of this family compose the bulk of the fish taken in 

 nets on the East coast, whicl^ are dried and salted for export. 



Some of our principal local varieties are the Chencharu 

 (Cai-anx rottleri), the Selar [Caranx, not less than 12 species), 

 the Chermin (C. gnUiis), the Nyior nyior {Traclnjnotus spp.) 

 .and the Talang {Choriiienuis spp.). 



1 The Cambridge Natural History, 1904. 



