THE NATURALIST.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1354, 10 February 1898, Page 10

THE NATURALIST.

FiGHTiNS FISH. The following is an extract from “ Nai Yim, t he Fish-fightor/’ a clever descriptive article by Basil Thomson Of all the fiik fanciers in Bangkok, Nai Yim is the most distinguished and successful. His breed of fighting fish fetches an enormous price in the market whenever the stress of poverty obliges him to sell} but so great is the wtench of parting with any of his darlings, and so vital the import tanco of selling none that will not acquit himself valiantly, that he only resorts to the market under the most pressing necessity. . . . The stakes and the bets being duly recoided, and Nai IValab having made a mental calculation of bis percentage as proprietor of the club; Nai Kern tilts his fish into the jar. With a flirt of his poteiifc tail, he explores the larger limits of his new quarters and then eyes the human faces through the glass with contemptuous unconcern. He is a portly little. Green Fish, a thought tod thick in the barrel for dexterous evolution, but armed with au array of teeth that would put a bull-terrier to shame. The flop of Nai Yim’s fish is very disturbing to his nerves, and for a moment the two fly about the bowl concealed from each other by a cloud of bubbles. If fish had the sense of hearing more keenly developed, they would be still more perturbed by the shouts of theit backers, inciting them to the fray. Nai Yitn’s warrior is dressed in Red : a lean, wiry little fish with a mighty spread of fin upon his back and a vast undulating keel along his belly. The water clears; and the gladiators are suddenly tooth to tooth in the middle. Their whole demeanour changes in a flash, and they sheer off, puffing out their gills and erecting every fin-bone with wrath. Then the Red Fish shoots up alongside his big antagonist, and asks him what the, devil he means. The Red Fish has the inside of the turn, and quickens too, till he leads by half a head. This big Green coward, he thinks shall be made to fight; so he deliberately fouls him, and drives him against the wall of the bowl. “ Ten tikals on the Red Fish!” shriek Nai Yim’s supporters. But the fat fellow is roused at last, and makes a side snap at his enemy’s eye, and another at his open gill, fixing his teeth in the edge of the gill-shield. There is a struggle, and, as the Red Fish shakes himself free two silver scales settle gently to the bottom. They are at it now hammer and tongs, flying round the bowl fin to fin, and snapping fiercely at each other’s eyes. Then the Red' Fish drops an inch behind, and makes a grab'at his opponent's fia. His teeth are deep in the fleshy joint, and the Green Fish spins round and round without dislodging them. His struggles grow weaker, and gradually the two sink lower in the bowl. The excitement in the gallery is deafening, and Nai Zem’s supporters grin foolishly, and shout empty encouragement to their champion. Gradually the shouts die down, for the combatants are sulking at the bottom, and may remain there for half an hour. But the Red Fish cannot keep his grip for ever, and a sadden wrench of the fin tears it free. Nor, with his tired jaws, can he lay hold again, for the Green Fish turns suddenly, and comes at him open.jowled. They lock with a fury that shakes them stem to stern; and now the weight of the Green Fish begins to tell. He forces his antagonist helplessly.against the glass, and, loosing him, digs his teeth into a dorbai fia. It is now Nai Kern s turn to cheer; for, twist and wriggle as he will, the little Red-Coat cannot wrench himself him. Then the fin tears; and, whole in valour if tattered in body, the Red Fish renews the attack. The sail he carried so proudly aloft when he went into action is a wre-k, and its torn shreds drape his battered sides, and impede the working of his fins. But, like a game little privateer engaged by a big frigate, he asks no quarter, and only fights the more fiercely for his injuries. He has found out that the gr,en fish is slow in turning; he remembers how dear such unwieldiuess cost one of bi 3 dummy antagonis s in the trainiagjtr. Open-mouthed, he hurls himself at his enemy’s great broadside, and his chisel teeth snap to on a mouthful of scales behind the fia. In vain the Green Fish st ives to turn, and bring his jaws to bear. He has drifted against the glass, helpless, and his enemy ram 3 him again. A shower of scales settling to the bottom, and the wounds show whits in his green ribs. He tries the surface, and the calm water is lashed into a tempest of _ ripples. In despair he plunges down to the narrow bottom, hoping perhaps to find some hole to shelter in till his hurts are be-tied It j was a 'a-al decision, and he knows it too j J ] ii.a. S.an! wise, like a 1 n -e, t>.e R--d ’ Fish shoots down upon him, au i k-.fi.us hun ( in the narrow foot of tha j\r. The green tail is the first to suffer. . It is all too tempting a tooth-hold in its wavy undulating curyes. Its feathery transparent edge is torn to ribbons, and then the Red i Fish attacks the dorsal fin. With every furious backward tug the fabric gives; but j still the poor fool clings to the bottom rather than face the terrors above. Naked of s sales from quarter to rudder, the tortured Green makes a blind rush upward, and, as his tormentor makes a grab at his pectoral fin, he turns and grapples. It is a struggle of despair, and in the tempestuous broil the spectators cannot for a few minutes 1 see which has the upper hand. Even Nai Kem takes heart to shout a war-cry ; unaccompanied, however, by a bet. The combatants, fast locked, seem to be spinning in an aimless circle. Will they never break away ? So terrific .is _ the struggle that shouts die down to stifled ejaculations ; the gallery catches its breath, and then a great shout of victory rends the summer air. For the straining bodies have risen to the surface; and a fountain of spray from the thrashing tails has splashed the first line of eager faces j

when, with one supreme wrench, the Red Fish straightens hiuiself like a bent spring; tears himself free, and lays a halting; zigifcag corirse to' the bottom of the bowl. In hi 3 teeth he carries milch that do'es not belong to him; but he has had enough, and, if his enemy could even now flap a fin, and right himself in the water just for appearances, he might save his reputation and his owner’s money. Bub ho is past caring for fame. There he lies, careened over on his side with one torn fin-stump clear Of the Water; add a ragged tail drooping idly towards the bdttoiri. He has foiight his last fight, and he wants death to take him quietly.