30 THE EDIBLE FISHES OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 



Freshwater Catfish {Copidoglanis tandanus). 



This species, which is well and favorably known as an 

 edible fish in parts of New South Wales, bears a general 

 resemblance to its congener, just mentioned, but is far 

 stouter in build, being comparatively short and thick-set. 

 As in the Estuary Catfish, the second dorsal and anal fins 

 are continuous, forming a long eel-like fringing fin round the 

 tail portion. As I have already indicated, this fish is by no 

 means despised as a food-fish as is its estuarine relative, and 

 perhaps it is necessity which has brought this about. The 

 Freshwater Catfish abounds most commonly in the western 

 waters of New South Wales (those which ultimately find their 

 way into the River Murray), and as the inhabitants of these 

 parts have not the choice of species that residents of the 

 coastal districts are favored with, they cannot afford to be 

 so particular as to appearance — and certainly the Freshwater 

 Catfish is a very unlovely beast. 



In some parts of the country this species is known under 

 the name of " Jewfish," but this name is only properly 

 applied to the fish known as Scicena antarctica. 



In addition to occurring in our western waters, the Fresh- 

 water Catfish is found in the head waters of a number of our 

 northern east-flowing rivers. 



Salmon-Catflsh {Galeichthys thalassinus). 



Two species of Salmon-Catfish are at present known to 

 occur in our waters, but the larger form, above-mentioned, 

 is the more common. 



This fish is not at present used largely as food. It is 

 found in fair abundance in the lower parts of our great 

 northern rivers. 



In form the Salmon-Catfishes are very different to the 

 1 wo species previously mentioned, having a well-developed 

 forked tail and an adipose dorsal fin, as in the typical river 

 catfishes of America. 



Galeichthys thalassinus is remarkable in that it has the 

 habit of hatching out its large eggs within the mouth cavity. 



