FIGHTING-FISH 413 
five dark vertical bands. It attains a weight of fully 20 lbs., and, when kept 
in clean water, is stated to be the best flavoured fresh-water fish in South-Eastern 
Asia. As it is extremely tenacious of life, and likewise almost omnivorous in its 
diet, it is in every way admirably adapted for transportation and acclimatisation. 
the gurami ( T V nat. size). 
A fourth genus (Betta), distinguished by the short dorsal fin 
Fighting-Fish. . & v J 
occupying the middle of the back, and without any pungent spine, 
the long anal, and the production of the outer ray of the five-rayed pelvic fins, 
must also be mentioned on account of its containing the so-called fighting-fish 
(. B. pugnax), which is bred by the Siamese for the sake of the sport afforded by 
its pugnacious propensities. Cantor writes that, “ when the fish is in a state of 
quiet, its dull colours present nothing remarkable; but if two be brought together, 
or if one sees its own image in a looking-glass, the little creature becomes suddenly 
excited, the raised fin and the whole body shine with metallic colours of dazzling 
beauty, while the projected gill-membrane, waving like a black frill round the 
throat, adds something of grotesqueness to the general appearance. In this state 
it makes repeated darts at its real or reflected antagonist. But both, when taken 
out of each other’s sight, become instantly quiet. This description was drawn up 
in 1840 at Singapore, by a gentleman who had been presented with several by the 
King of Siam. They were kept in glasses of water, fed with larvm of mosquitoes, 
and had thus lived for many months. The Siamese are as infatuated with the 
combats of these fish as the Malays are with their cock-fights, staking on the issue 
considerable sums, and sometimes their own persons and families. The licence to 
exhibit fish-fights is farmed, and brings a considerable annual revenue to the King 
of Siam. The species abounds in the rivulets at the foot of the hills of Penang.” 
