56 KEC01U)S OV THE AL'STKALIAN MUSEUM. 



The types of the new species have been returned to the 

 Western AustraUan Museum. 



The collection, as originally received, was supplemented by a 

 number of fishes recently taken by means of the trawl. 



I am indebted to Mr. C. F. Gale for a copy of the Annual 

 Report on the Fishiug Industry of Western A.ustralia.- The 

 Report for 1904 contains an account of the first trawling oper- 

 ations undertaken in the State. From this we learn that the 

 ketch " Rip," a vessel of ninety tons, was chartered for the pur- 

 pose and that the trawl was shot no less than one hundred and 

 one times, the greatest depth reached being 40 fathoms. Five 

 charts accompany the report, showing various stations from 

 Cape Naturaliste, northward to Shark's Bay. Trawling was also 

 tried ofi Rottnest Island and Houtman's Albrolhos. 



It is to be deplored that no professional zoologist was aboard 

 the " Rip," and it cannot be doubted that, in consequence, much 

 valuable material and information has been loat. A tally was 

 certainly taken in fishermen's style, but the mere enumeration 

 of " soles, gurnard, flathead, rays, cod, leather-jackets, etc.," 

 conveys no precise information. Records of edible fishes only 

 appear to have been preserved, no detailed account having been 

 taken of the smaller forms which furnish food for the edible ones 

 or which may be, in other ways, concerned in their economy. 

 With the exception of crustaceans and sponges no account what- 

 ever was taken of the Invertebrate life, such being entered as 

 "marine growth," and, judging by the experience gained in 

 H.M.C.S. ''Thetis" in the waters of Nevv South Wales, an im- 

 mense wealth of such forms must have been netted. 



The collection is said to contain representatives of all the 

 fishes obtained ; it requires, however, a trained eye to discrimi- 

 nate in this matter, and it must be evident, as above hinted, that 

 many species taken were lost sight of ; in fact some fishes are 

 enumerated in the report, examples of which were not forwarded. 

 Of these I may instance skate, electric, sting and other rays, 

 trumpeter, John dorey, horse mackerel, flathead, whiting and 

 skipjack. Many of the takes are entered as " small fish of all 

 kinds" or "a lot of fish of other classes," and in no case is it pos- 

 sible to associate a specimen with the particular station whence 

 it was obtained ; the mere mention of say, red mullet, cod, 

 parrot fish or gurnard gives no clue to the species taken. 



At the 41st haul a sea snake, four feet long, was netted, and 

 on August 7th and 10th whales were freely encountered. 



Western Australia — Eept, Pishing Industry and Trawling Operations, 

 1904 (1905). 



