MALAYAN FISHES, 



bok), wliidi iiMceiuls the rivers to a considerable diatance ilurhig the 

 b^mlin^r ss^ttJiuii. It arrives on the eongt in eiiormotis s<lu>ttlp, rtiitl 

 twenty ei^ht ye&ta dgo, a.^ i>keat Ims reeorckd, thay were invariably 

 taken in full roe, when tliej are iix the beaf condition. 



RcH*ut ri'jHjrts show thtit Tirubok have hiW^n oJT l>oth in 

 (jiiHiitity fliitl, »$■ the writer knows: iruiu his own t'.vi)t*rientfp, in 

 quality, thot* now taken beiii;: mostly sfK*nt firJli in whii-li strtte 

 tliey are JK)^!itively iinwholeBonie, 



These ftsh u.-secl to be taken in jiurli numbers? that the nets con- 

 tained moTtf than the l>oflta could load. Within the j?ast few years 

 the writer has, on several ot^oiiions. picked up these fi.-'h hy hand in 

 a dying- eoiidition apiHiirentlv choked hr silt in their attempt to 

 ascend the rivers. Failin^f to ascend tht' rivers the 8had ninst 

 either «pa\vn in theHuaor in the polluted lower reiujiies hjuI in oither 

 oft<e the eggs perish. 



Unfortuniilely. the mi^^rationi* of the Tfirubok do not, a.* far as 

 tlie writi'rV exjjt^rient^e f^oei?, take it to tlie Kasit lotiA of the Peuin- 

 sula, 80 that, the "Tfirubok firthery of Malaya appea^^^ to he in 

 danger of e.xtinction. 



This introduction would not be complete wit!ioHt some mention 

 of the conditi()n> under which tlic transport of from the source 

 to the cojisiuiner takes plaee. 



There h & general a^eement that transport h had. Many 

 sOfhemes have l>een evolved for ensnrinu* rapiil trHn>iKirt and reduoed 

 price?, but none of them have beun ]uit into pnit'tiee and proliably 

 none are cijmmefeially practicaildc. A perniajient scheme is re- 

 ipiired that can be built up by degrees; the writer has atlvocated 

 in two report^ the uae of eold ^storage. While allowing that the 

 expenditure will be great we sbonhl not lose »ight of the fact that 

 it will be a permanent and sound investment, 



Ijet aa consider the existing conditions fir^t. 



In ft tempetAte climate lish will keep fresh for days. Here, 

 near the lk|uator, fish eau^rht in t!ie morning are in an advanced state 

 of deeoM position before the evening. Decay i.^ arrested liy the U!>e 

 of ice. For instflnce^ ice manufactured in Knala Lumpur is taken 

 hy train to Port Swettenhara and sold to imiall middlemen who 

 go to 8M*a and purchase from the iishennen. Tliese middlemen are 

 bound as a rule to sell tiic fish to the iee dealers, who again sell to 

 other niiddlemen, wlio -^oll to the retailers in thf* markets. The 

 result is tliat fish costing $15 a pikul at sea m^i $80 a pikul in 

 Kuala Tjumpur, 30 miles away. 



Ice melts rapidly in the trains, in the boats, and in the mar- 

 ket^. A bos of fisli must therefore contain an enormous proportion 

 of ice to allow for wastage, ajid Ihe iisli in^tyad of being fiesh, cold, 

 &nd vholcsome are in a swollen and sodden condition. 



RAFFLES LIBRARY 



