\72 Coyresf^ovdevce. rvoT"^xxxiil 



To the Editor of the Victorian Naturalist. 



Sir, — In regard to the statement of the Acting (Tiief Inspector 

 of Fisheries, that there is no evidence of tront ha\'ing destroyed 

 our Blackfish. I was recently informed that, before trout were 

 introduced into the Upper Yarra and Walsh's Creek, good hauls 

 of Blackfish could always be made. 



While there in January last, several attempts were made by 

 the visitors to catch some, but there was no result but a few 

 bites and an occasional undersized fish. I was also informed 

 that trout had been caught there whi(;h contained Blackfish, one 

 being six inches long. E.xpressions of regret were general at the 

 threatened extenuination of so good a table fish from those 

 waters. 



When recently discussing this subject with an experienced 

 angler, he stated that he had proved that a small B'lackfish is a 

 deadly bait for a trout. This had occurred when fishing for 

 Murray cod in a stream which was also stocked with trout. 



Those anglers who are familiar with the merits of our inland 

 Gippsland perch as well as those of the trout, as fish for sport, 

 have feelings of great regret that owv Fisheries Department has 

 apparently made no use of this splendid fish, wliich is much 

 superior, weight fc^r weight, to any of the imjwrted trout. It is 

 also much to be preferred as a food fish, if we except those trout 

 caught at the mouths of our rivers. 



If the Fisheries Department would interview Mr. Arthur 

 French, an angler of wide experience in oiu" Victorian rivers, as 

 well as those of other States, I am sure it would find that the 

 above opinions would be strongly supported. — I am, etc., 



EDWIN COX. 

 Hawthorn, 24th February, iqiy. 



BuPRESTiD Beetles. — The recently issued Transactions and 

 Proceedings of the Royal Society of South Australia, vol. xl. 

 (1915-16), contains an extremely useful paper by Mr. H. J. 

 Carter, ^I.A., F.E.S., of Sydney, in which he endeavours to 

 straighten out the synonomy of the genus Stigmodera, the finest 

 group of Australian beetles, and consequently the prey of the 

 species maker. Mr. Carter groups the species into three sub- 

 genera, and reduces the existing species from 522 to 318 ! and 

 even 31 of these are new, and descrilxd in his article. One, S. 

 franca, from North Queensland, is named in honour of Mr. C. 

 French, sen., foimder of the F. N. Club, while another, S. 

 argillacea, was taken recently at Hattah, in the Mallee, by Mr. J. 

 E. Dixon, <jf this club. 



