26 THE EDIBLE FISHES OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 



In color it is dark blue, bluish-green, or greenish-brown 

 along the upper surface, changing rather suddenly into the 

 brilliant silver color of the sides. Along each side is a 

 series of darker blotches, giving to the fish, when viewed from 

 above, an appearance very similar to that of another impor- 

 tant, though very different, species — the Common Mackerel. 

 Curiously enough, too, small bodies of the pilchards are 

 often found among Mackerel of equal size, and vice versa. 



Herring {Sardinella castelnaiii). 



Plate V. 



This fish, like the preceding, is always with us in greater 

 or lesser abundance, but at times makes its appearance in 

 vast shoals. It is a comparatively short, deep-bodied fish, 

 attaining a length of 8 or 9 inches. The eye is large and 

 possesses a well-developed transparent fleshy lid, just as is 

 seen in the common Sea Mullet and Yellow-tail. The teeth 

 are very minute. The scales are large and highly deciduous. 

 There is a large and simple air-bladder, this showing up 

 silvery through the semi-transparent sides of the freshly- 

 caught herring. 



As regards coloration, this fish is a very pretty little 

 species. The upper surface is usually of a bluish-green, the 

 sides being of a most brilliant silver, with, in certain lights, 

 a sheen of gold. This golden sheen is still more apparent on 

 the gill-covers or opercles. The irides are of a beautiful 

 golden or golden-red tint. The fins are transparent, the tips 

 of the dorsal fin and of the caudal lobes being black. 



The Herring is one of the fishes of the future as far as 

 New South Wales is concerned, as at present practically no 

 use is made of it. 



Freshwater Herring [Potamalosa novcB-hollandics). 



This is another abundant New South Wales clupeid, 

 occurring commonly in all of our eastern streams. It is 

 rather an elongate fish, and attains commonly a length of 

 from 9 to 10 inches; examples of a still larger size being 

 occasionally obtained. 



