Il8 THE EDIBLE FISHES OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 



people would not look at them. Those captured, particularly 

 those of a larger size, are principally taken by hook and line. 

 The young are very commonly taken by the fishermen in the 

 estuaries, when hauling their nets for other species. The pro- 

 fessional fisherman, it may be added, cordially detests leather- 

 jackets of whatever species, as they become entangled in the 

 meshes of the net by the large dorsal sp)ine, thereby causing 

 considerable waste of time and labor in extricating them. 



The Yellow Leather] acket may grow to a length of as 

 much as 2 feet, but examples of half that length would be 

 nearer the average of those captured. 



Orange-spotted Leatherjacket {Monacanthus hippocrepis). 



This large and handsome species is essentially an outside 

 fish, and is captured by line in the vicinity of reefs and rocky 

 shores. It is a fairly large fish, attaining a length of about 

 18 inches, and is useful as a food-fish, though not nearly so 

 important as the Yellow Leatherjacket. 



I described the colors of this beautiful fish in " Fishes 

 of Australia," and may, perhaps, again refer to them here. 



When alive it possesses the most lovely tints, the upper or 

 dorsal surface being of an olive-green or yellowish-green, and 

 shading into a lighter tint below. On the middle of each 

 side is a large, irregular blotch, of a bright orange color, 

 within which a horseshoe-shaped band is sometimes present. 

 The lips are surrounded by two or three dull, blue, yellow- 

 edged bands, and the sides of the abdomen with narrow 

 waving bands of an intense blue. 



River Leatherjacket {Monacanthus tracJiylepis). 



While the two previously mentioned species are denizens 

 of the lower portions of the harbors and the outside grounds, 

 the River Leatherjacket is to be found abundantly all the 

 year round in the higher parts of our estuarine and harbor 

 waters as well as in the coastal lakes. At the same time, 

 and whether they remain there for any length of time or not, 

 there is no doubt that the adults appear in our ocean waters 

 at times (in the warmer months) in vast numbers. 



