138 THE SPORTSMAN IN SOUTH AFRICA. 



by its pulpy-looking mouthy which is pointed downwards, the lower 

 Up projecting inwards; scales very small.'] 



The Mud fish is very common in the sluggish rivers of the Cape 

 Colony and the Southern portions of the Transvaal and Bechuana- 

 land which have muddy bottoms. Feeding only on minute insects, 

 no instance has been recorded in which the species has been captured 

 with baited hooks, although thousands annually fall victims to the 

 dynamitard. For culinary purposes it is absolutely useless, although 

 the Boers, when opportunity occurs, preserve large quantities by 

 salting and drying. 



The Silver Fish. 



[May be caught up to 3 lbs. in weight, and m shape resembles 

 the Yellow Fish. The colour is a bluish silver grey, with a pinkish 

 tinge.] 



This fish is not met with in the rivers North of the Crocodile, and as 

 an object from which sport can be derived, it deserves no special 

 mention. It is not good eating. 



The Burrowing Perch or Culper (probably closely allied to 

 Tilapia sparrmanti). 



The "Culper" in appearance resembles the Anabas or climbing 

 perch, and is not to be found in the rivers of the Cape Colony, being 

 first met with in the Marico and Crocodile Rivers, where it seldom 

 exceeds half-a-pound in weight. In the Botletle, Zambesi, and other 

 rivers within the Tropics, it attains a weight of over two pounds and 

 is quite common, while Lake 'Ngami swarms with the species, which 

 forms the staple article of food of the Makobas and Masieuvia tribes 

 of the Interior. It will generally be found in the still pools on the 

 edge of rapid-running water, and when the rivers have overflowed, 

 resorts to the inundated flats, where it excavates holes in the alluvial 

 soil, presumably for the purpose of depositing the spawn. Without 

 attempting to further explain the reason for these excavations, the 

 burrows, as they may well be termed, generally represent five round 

 funnels three or four inches in diameter, placed in a circle surround- 

 ing a centre one of considerably larger dimensions, all sunk to a 

 depth of from one to two feet in the ground, and leading into each 

 other at the base. When the rivers have retired into their natural 



