MALAYAN PISHES. 



POM FRETS. 



(STROM ATin DAE,) 



Tile Bawaf ifs oue of our wtfU known and most |JOpiilar edible 

 fish ant! bikes a lii^Ii plact* among our very hast food fishers. 



Of the three specfies known, the Bawal chermitt (Strmnaiem 

 aious) is most esteemed, though all are ^ood. 



The Bawal puteh and Bawat itam (S. eincreus) are icJcn- 

 tkal, the Ibh g«t.tinfr darker as it n^at-hes maturity. A Bhoal of 

 immature hshes of this species seen on a calm, clear iii^rht is a 

 mo3t beautiful sight. In the reflected light of tlie moon, they look 

 like tiny silvery etijns. The Malays call them Bawal bintang. 

 When mature they are a darker gray colour. 



The mat urn Bawal itam are very nuieh I letter eating thivn the 

 immuturt! Bawal puteh. 



Thv Bawal tambak (.y. niger) is the kr^jest of the family. 

 It grows to a length ul! two feet and is exeidlent eating. 



Tliese fishe^! are considered by fishermen the stupide&t Esh that 

 strim. They have a curious <Iie(*|j-like liahit of huddling together 

 and are ahso affl^eted with a kind of os'inc euriosity. They will 

 foUoM' anything that excites their curiot^ity such as a boat and this 

 habit load^ to their capture. 



When a shoal is ohiK?rved tlu' fishermen manoeuvre their boat 

 m ag to attract the interest of the ii*!h until tljey ar-^ all following 

 in a compact flock. At the same time the boat is taking a circular 

 course and the nut is being sliot very quietly. At the riglit momenl 

 all the fishermen rais^e a tremendous din with clappers and at the 

 same time iiplash the ^ater with their paddles. The shoal does i'- 

 perfeivt right-aJaout tuni and each fish dashes headlong into the net 



MURREL. 



{OrniOCEPHALWAE. ) 



ThejrC fresh-water fishes arc provided with a respiratory organ 

 on each side^ above and communicating with the gills* which 

 enaiblcs tliem to breatli atmospheric air. 



They can live for long periods out of water and travel over the 

 land from one piece of water to another. They are useful food fish 

 and well adapted for pond culture )jrovided that the pontl m well 

 stocked with the small fish and frogs on which they feed, hut if tlie 

 food nms ahort, they will go elsewhere. 



Day writ*),>jj "Jugglers Ijoth in India and China e.\iul>it the^e 

 fishes walking on the land, and children arause themselves by 

 making them crawl along." 



The young as a nde are of a more or leas oramge or searlef 

 colour. 



