FIGHTING FISH.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 1936, 18 March 1875, Page 3

FIGHTING FISH.

It appears to be a favorite amusement! among the natives of Java and' the^ other" East Indian islands to arrange tournaments between fighting fish, and watch their combats with an eagerness! which' would do credit to a confirmed! bookmaker on the turf. Bets pass freelyi on the result of the struggle as t >on any! other great sporting events,* and the estab-j lishment of a Tattersall's rooms among the dusky Malays offers a promising! speculation to any enterprising individual: The idectcd ; champions are put in) leparate gjasi -Vessels, which are placed; near each other, and' the ."first, scenje "| comprises their, ineffectual,' attempts! j to penetirate. the gltss. In due ti iie tliefish become greatly „ and continually change color, till at last they are almost black ;Ctheir gili covers open' but in a sort of/Eliasabethan,', frill. or collarette on each! sidef of their x>h^ad^ the ' tail and finsj beeonijej' phosphorescent in appearance,| and beautiful f colors of every hue inter-l mittently. tinge their' scales. Still they cannot)reach, each other, and their anger is roused to its highest pitch, till at last | comjjatant.No.;}. is summarily transferred inTqpie^yessel containing NW'2,' 1 an 4 the rearbiismess begins. Rapid strokes of th^e °tail find qiiick J vibrations of the fins; follow^ till one or-ihe other, vanquished,.j Beekijsafety in flight; and eventually! jumps; from the water,, leaving his an-j tagonist master of the field. ' ;