184 MALAYAN FISHES. 



Their density causes them to sink lower in brackish water until 

 they eventually find bottom in the shallow bays and estuaries and in 

 this way are gradually dispersed all long the coast. Then a 

 metamorphosis takes place and the feeble Leptocephalus is trans- 

 formed into the active little fish which swims vigorously against 

 the current and feeds incessantly and voraciously all the time. 



In a recent report on the Fisheries of the Straits Settlements 

 •""1 Federated Malav States the writer drew attention to the 

 Chinese fish-traps called pompang and other licensed fixed engines 

 known as ambai, langgai, etc.. of which there are several thousand 

 between IYnang and Port Swettcnham. Though there are many 

 kmds^of these traps^thev all work <.n the same principle. _ In every 



funnel-shapea bag^nade of sicking or plaitwlTplif bamboos* The 

 position of these traps is arranged with respect to the currents 

 intercept the larvae and immature fish during 



the flow. 



An examination of the contents of these traps shews that in 

 addition to immature fish, which any Malay fisherman will tell you 

 are the fry of valuable food fish, the bulk of tin- catches arc made 

 "!>;»»' tVcMe. attenuate,!, small-headed larval-like tM.es which the 

 Malays call Bunga ayer and to which they attach no value. 



There can be little doubt that scientific investigation will prove 

 sta^e the BU " ga ayer are valuable food-fish in the Leptocephalus 



This subject has been treated at some length because of its 

 great economic importance and because the questions raised cannot 

 be answered except by a specialist in marine biology. 



Though myriads of larval and immature fish are caught daily 

 lor duck tood, pig food and manure, and thousands of pikuls are 

 exported as dried fish refuse, it has been argued, while admitting 

 ambai catches are used mainly as pig food, that it appears a 



