"A species of fish-like tadpole, [522] found at certain seasons of the year in the streams and pools, is supposed to divide when it reaches maturity, the front portion forming a frog and the after-part or tail becoming the fish known as ikan kli, one of the cat-fishes or Siluridæ. In consequence of this strange idea many Malays will not eat the fish, deeming it but little better than the animal from which it is supposed to have been cast. "The ikan kli is armed with two sharp barbed spines attached to the fore-part of the pectoral fins, and can and does inflict very nasty wounds with them, when incautiously handled. The spines are reputed to be poisonous, but it is believed that if the brain of the offending fish is applied to the wound, it will act as a complete antidote to the poisonous principle, and the wound will heal without trouble. The English cure for hydrophobia--that is, 'the hair of the dog that bit you'--will occur to all as a modification of the same idea." [523] The fish called seluang is used for purposes of magic. It is supposed that any one who pokes out its eyes with a special needle (which must be one out of a score--the packets being made up in scores--and must possess a torn eye) will be able to inflict blindness, by sympathy, upon any person against whom he has a grudge. [524] The fish called kedera is supposed to change into a sea-bird. I will now proceed to describe the ceremony which is supposed to secure an abundant catch of fish in the stakes. In January 1897 I witnessed the ceremony of sacrificing at the fishing-stakes (menyemah b'lat) which took place at the hamlet of Ayer Hitam (lit. "Blackwater"), in the coast district of Kuala Langat (Selangor). The chief performer of the rites was an old Malay named Bilal Umat, who had owned one of the fishing-stakes in the neighbourhood for many years past, and had annually officiated at the ceremony which I was about to witness. I and my small party arrived in the course of the morning, and were received by Bilal Umat, who conducted us to the long, low palm-thatch building (bangsal kelong), just above high-water mark, in which he and his men resided during the fishing-season. Here we found that a feast was in course of preparation, but what most attracted my attention was the sight of three large sacrificial basket-work trays, [525] each about 2 1/2 feet square, and with high fringed sides which were suspended in a row from the roof of the verandah, on the seaward side of the building. These trays were empty, but had been lined with banana leaves to prepare them for the reception of the offerings, which latter were displayed upon a raised platform standing just in front of them. Shortly after our arrival the loading of the trays commenced. First Bilal Umat took a large bowl of parched rice, and poured it into the trays, until the bottom of each tray was filled with a layer of parched rice about an inch in depth.