ts 



MALAYAN PIQHEa 



The Calk ((U'tfhi huchnnani) of Tndbi, Burma and Siam has 

 not yet been identified in our rivers hihI «>i it attiiin*; a len^rth of 

 at leaiit- 0 feet and a enrre*i|joiiilin^ wtn;rht, 1 jiUgge^st tlie quest of 

 tlie C*atk, a.* a ^oiind ,fifpfirtintr |jropo&itioii, to the aTi^rlerii of l\H«.bt 

 Li(^is. ftJid other U]j countrv fitatioiiPj witii a ^^ood etiance of success. 



EELS. 



AXaUILLIDAE^ MUUAENfmE, VOyOUlDAE^ ETC. 



ThM E«i« are plat-eil on the Ovdar Avonm widfh lim several 

 families and not less than 30 eperies, represented m Makvau 

 ivateri^. Eels art- more popular perhap.^^ with the Chinese than 

 with luiy other raee iti Malaya. Tlie Coiigere (Malong) are quite 

 conjmaii and find a n-ady sale io tlie niarkt-tj?. 



One eel {Tktjntouh'a mdcruret) known as t!ie Pampan or 

 Pompa hy tht* JrivaneFe is prohahly the largest eel in the world 

 aotl exwcnk in fe^t in length. It ha^ been found in the shallow 

 seas and eatuari^e*, auil even rivers, of Sumetra. New Guiueft, Natal. 

 India, Ceylon oud tjueeii^landj but has not yet Ikm*ii reeorcled hj 

 ioca] scientist,;. 



SWAMP-EELS, 



Sy.UBRAXCnWAE. 



The Belut {Mufmpterux (tlhus) i& eon fined to the fresh or 

 brackish waterg of Burma, tlie MaJay Arrhipelag(j and Cliina. 



*' Tliis eid is numerous at (*husan. in streamletvS, canal'', 

 ami e.^tuariefi. As it is a favourite artiele of foo<l it iis kept by 

 the inba!utai!h< of ( huiiHu in lar;^r jah-, witli fri'.^li water. Bni 

 it in capable cd liviiiif a coii^ideraliie time out of \v«ter. It i^ 

 of Yoraeioos habits, fuediii^j on smaller lisbeg* and it takes 

 bookji baited with earthwornu*," (Cantor), 



SEA-HORSES AND SKELETON-FISHES. 



{SyxaXATIf/DAE S AMI'IUSIIJOAE,) 



The little Sea-Horse, Kuda-kuda iaut {Ifippommpm spp.), 

 which is so like tbi' eonventional knij^ht of the chess-hoard, is a 

 familiar objeet in most Mu.*;pum?:, It of eourse, no et'ouomic 

 value. 



A |.iee\diarity of tlits curions fajuily h that " the nudea are 

 provided with a poueh { m some &pef:iea there is only a broad groove) 

 in whieh tl)e eggs are hatehed after heiu^ deposited by the female. 



" The mnleii take full charge of them, and the youn^ remain in 

 the poui Ji usually for a ^burt time, after beinn; hatolietl/" (i^tead). 



The Skeleton- Fish, Af^ I have ealled it, Am phiaili' scittatay is 

 known to Malays as Ikan kSring. It h otdy a few inches lon^ 

 andj aj^ it lias praciieally no llesb on its bony carcase, it baa no 

 edible value. 



