30 FISHES OF AUSTRALIA. 



In colour, the upper surface is usually of a bluish- 

 green ; the sides being of a most brilliant silver. The irides 

 are of a beautiful golden or golden-red tint. 



This fish attains a length of about 8 or 9 inches. 



The Sandy-Sprat is a very small species, but makes 

 up for its reduced size by its great abundance. It is a pretty 

 little fish, almost transparent when alive, frequenting sandy 

 localities along the New South . Wales coast, and attains a 

 length of 3 to 4 inches. 



With its relative, the Fresh-water Herring, this little 

 clupeid is of some interest scientifically, in that it is one of 

 the so-called "Rough-backed Herrings" which were known 



Fig. 11. HERRING (Sardinella castelnaui). 



to occur in a fossil state long before any existing species 

 were discovered. 



The Fresh-water Herring 1 abounds in all the rivers 

 which empty themselves into the waters of the Eastern coast 

 of Australia; with the exception, perhaps, of those in the 

 North of Queensland. In various localities it is known 

 under different names. 



It is a beautiful little fish, when fresh, being, with the 

 exception of a narrow greenish strip along the back, of a 

 uniform silvery colour. Soon after capture, a good deal of 

 its brilliance disappears. The back and sides are then of a 

 straw-colour, or olive-green, with the belly silvery ; a broad, 

 silvery, dark-edged, longitudinal band running down the 

 middle of the sides. 



