MALAYAN FISHED 



63 



The Pari dedap (Urogymmis asperrimm) is the sole repre- 

 sentative of a genus and remarkable from the fact that its bacrk h 

 covered with osseous tubercles, among which are studded, at inter- 

 vals, a niimber of conicid denticles or eiiines rather like liMpets in 

 appearance. 



This ranges hetween the Ecd Sea, East Coafit of Africa, 

 seas of India and the ifelay Archipelago. 



I recently overhean;! a Mahiy in the KalHes Miiijeuia apply the 

 name DSrSdap to thje fish and perhaps a note on the word Dedap 

 and its derivatiyes may lie of interest, 



Dcdap — a tree {Brifihnnm ^p.) witli scarlet flowers, the^bark 

 of whieh IS stuchled witli spines of the same limpet-like shape as 

 those of tile Pari dedap, 



Dedap — a ijhield or buckler. 



Rednp—A small drmu^ (probably bo called from the kind of 

 hikin used), 



M eredaf^—(llmxl^ Johor) springing up plentifully, of prickly 

 heat and other ekin eruptionSj the feature of which is a large num- 

 ijer of pustules. 



The word dcdap as meaning a shield is ohsolpte both in collo- 

 <:juial Malay and in literature and it is interesting; to note that its 

 place has been takert by the Indian word Pirisai. 



EAGLE-RAYS. 



(MYLIOBATWAE.) 



This family contams five genera and about ^7 species. All 

 li?e genera are represented in Malayan rieas, * 



These fish feed principally on Molluscs, the sheila of ifhich 

 they grind with tlieir ki^e ^rindiiig-teirth* Some of them aittain 

 an enormous si^e, over 20 feet in width, a thickiiesg of 3 to 4 feet 

 and a weight, probably, of over a ton. 



They are variougiy known as Devil-fishes^ Sea-devils, Bat- 

 jRshes, Eagle-rays, et-e., and it ib interpsting to note that the termij 

 Bat and Eagle "are taken from the Malay, viz. Pari k&lawar and 

 Pari lang. 



The larfreat of this Jaroily are the Pari paus {Dkercbaiis spp. 

 and Ceratopfera spp.). 



I have seen these fish leap out of the sea to a lieight of perhaps' 

 7 or S feet, time after time, coming down each time with a tre- 

 mendous splash, and Malaya have told nie that the fish does this to 

 shake off the re mora whii-b Imng on to' thm in large numbers. 



In conclusion I may add, thtit all the Kuy^ and Skates are eaten 

 by natives of the East, while the '*wings*- or Iim are highly esteemed 

 by the Chinese, Fishes of this order wouhl form a considerable 

 proportion of the catches of a trawler and would provide a cheap 

 and valuable foodj for which there is a constant demand, eitiier 

 f resh or salted. 



