These nests in the European Labrus are made of sea-weeds, zoophytes, corals, broken shells, etc., and are the work of both the male and female. It is also in this family that sleep was first observed in fishes, and this has been fully verified by Mobius, on Labrus ruprestis in an aquarium, the fish seeking a sleeping place at night and laying itself down to rest on one side.[1]
Tokak is the generic name applied by Malays to those members of this family which are provided with strong canine-like teeth. (See Wilkinson's Dictionary, p. 201. Tokak. Biting, used of dogs, sharks, tigers, and other animals which use their teeth as a weapon of offence.)
The teeth of these fishes are used however for crushing shells, coral, etc.
A Tokak (Chaerops omnopterus) is known in New South Wales and Queensland as the Blue-spotted Groper.
Little use is made of this large family of fine edible fishes from a commercial point of view.
Their capture is confined to the hand line and to basket traps. Their habitat, deep water in the vicinity of coral reefs, renders the use of ordinary nets impossible but the trammel net which is unknown in this region should prove effective.
Many members of this family attain a weight of 50 pounds.
PARROT-WRASSES.
(SCARIDAE.)
This family is closely allied to the preceding, with which they have been usually united, but differing in the more or less coalescent teeth, forming, often, a parrot-like beak.
I have placed the Běchok in this family and also among the Labridae as there are several species.
Mr. A. W. H. Hamilton, who is an authority on Malayan sea-fishes, tells me that the Malays of the Western part of Singapore confine the synonym Běchok to a fish with green teeth, which seems to identify his fish as Pseudodax moluccanus (Day, 2nd edition Vol. II, p. 421).
HORSE MACKERELS.
(CARANGIDAE.)
A large and important family of carnivorous fishes, all of which are edible and many of large size.
Members of this family compose the bulk of the fish taken in nets on the East coast, which are dried and salted for export.
Some of our principal local varieties are the Chĕncharu (Caranx rottleri), the Sělar (Caranx, not less than 12 species), the Chermin (C. gallus), the Nyior nyior (Trachynotus spp.) and the Talang (Chorinemus spp.).
- ↑ The Cambridge Natural History, 1904.
