28 MOSQUITO LARVA AND FRESHWATER FISH. 
the Fighting Fish, viz. the Labyrinthici. It is edible, but is much 
less valued than Gurami (Osphromenus olfax) which for the table 
is regarded as the best of the local freshwater fishes. The Ikan 
sepat grows to about 4’’, and is distinghished by its beautiful irri- 
descent colours and its ventral fin being transformed into a long 
thread-like ray, often reaching beyond the tail. It has two round 
black spots on either side, which are very marked in the young. 
We caught it in Orchard Road (in the ditch in front of the Police 
Station), in Jervois Road, Somerset Road, Syed Ali Road, and noticed 
it also in the swamps near Teluk Blangah Road. The young ate 
mosquito larve, though not ravenously, whilst full grown speci- 
mens seemed to despise them. 
To the same family belongs the ‘Ikan betok’’ or Climbing 
Perch (Anabas scandens, Dald.) The largest specimens we found 
measured about 44", though, according to Cantor, it grows up to 
7". This fish can live a long time out of water, and it is well as- 
certained that it can travel on land, pushing itself along by its fins. 
We caught it off Gaylang Road, and noticed it in the swamps at 
Teluk Blangah. The young ones ate mosquito larve greedily. No 
experiments were made with full grown specimens. 
The ‘Ikan aruan’ (Ophiocephalus striatus, Bl.), belonging to the 
family of Ophiocephalidie, is also able to live out of water and to 
travel over damp grass. It is much eaten, aud grows, according to 
Duncker, to about 23 feet in length. The young ones, of which we 
caught some at Syed Ali Road, are of a golden orange colour, and 
ate mosquito larvae greedily. We saw the same fish at Teluk 
Blangah. 
The Catfish, or “ Ikan keli’’? (Clarias magur, H. B.), occurs in 
many places in Singapore Island, such as the Botanic Gardens, 
Syed Ali Road, Teluk Blangah Road, but no experiments were made 
with it.* 
The above enumerated fishes seem to be the more common 
ones in the neighbourhood of Singapore town. Whilst collecting 
them we were constantly on the look out for mosquito larve (Malay 
name jentek-jentek’’), and it must be stated that, perhaps with 
one exception, no mosquito larve were found in any great numbers 
in places in which there were fish or which were easily accessible to 
fish. 
For instance I had expected to find many mosquito larve in 
the swampy district between Killiney Road, Devonshire Road, and 
*T may adda few words, as I have since been able to get additional ma- 
terial, from Lavender Street. The Catfish. thus called from the eight long bar- 
bules which arise from around its mouth and have some resemblance to a 
cat’s whiskers, lives in muddy water and is a very active and shy fish. It grows, 
according to Cantor, to at least £§ feet in length, but experiments were naturally 
made only with small specimens, one to two inches in length, such as would be 
likely to feed on mosquito larve. The first experiments were quite negative in 
result, and only after the fish had been kept on short rations for a couple of 
days,did it begin to eat mosquito larvee. Its usual diet seems to be decaying ani- 
mal and vegetable matter. 
Jour. Straits Branch 
