THE BREAM FAMILY. i * } 



weighed while fresh, 5^4 pounds, and measured 20 inches, 

 while another of about the same length, weighed 4% pounds. 

 Both of these were from Lake Macquarie, New South 

 Wales; which may be said to be the richest Black Bream 

 water on this coast. 



The Tarwhine : This fish is more of a tropical species, 

 than the preceding; consequently it becomes more common 

 on our coast as we proceed in a northerly direction. It 

 occurs on at least two-thirds of the New South Wales coast, 

 and along the whole of the eastern coast of Queensland. In 

 addition to this, it has been recorded from Western Aus- 

 tralia and a portion of North Australia, and inhabits the 

 waters of New Guinea, the Malay Archipelago, the Seas of 

 India and the Red Sea. In appearance, it is somewhat 

 similar to the Black Bream ; and, by many people, is often 

 confused with that fish ; but a very cursory examination by 

 even the most casual observer, will be found quite sufficient 

 to bring out most striking points of difference between the 

 two. Many of these differences might be enlarged upon, 

 but it will be sufficient to mention here that the Tarwhine 

 has what is termed "a more bull-nosed appearance" in the 

 head than the Bream, that it has a number of somewhat 

 broad, yellowish-golden longitudinal stripes along the body 

 (particularly on the upper portion), and that it has n soft- 

 rays in the anal fin as against 8 in the Bream. Also, the 

 spinous rays of the anal fin are very weak when compared 

 with those of the latter. 



Though the Tarwhine is of considerable commercial 

 value, it is not to be compared to the Black Bream. 



It attains a weight of several pounds. 



Yellow-mouthed Perch : This handsome fish is, like 

 the preceding, a tropical species ; and consequently, is only 

 obtained occasionally on the New South Wales coast ; its 

 home as far as Australia is concerned, being in Queensland ; 

 where it is also known as "Yellow-mouthed Snapper." 



This is an exceedingly-handsome species when alive, 

 retaining a great deal of its beauty for a considerable time 

 after capture. Each scale of the upper half of the body, 

 has an irregular, opalescent, central blotch, with a brownish 

 spot at the base. Inside the mouth and immediately around 



