STUniKS IN Al>l KALIAN' KlSllKS McCUl.LOCH. 175 



colder water, and so leave the shallows when the spring sets in. lu 

 winter, they occur in large shoals, when they are systematically tished foi% 

 but they keep apart daring the summer. Four smoke-houses were 

 employed in curing the tish in 1882, and the average haul of the nets was 

 one-and-a-half to two tons, but at times, hauls of ten tons were secured. 

 Henry^ obtained half a baker's basket full of Pilchards at Queenscliff, New 

 Zealand, in 1902, by simply dipping it in the water. The air was alive 

 with birds, and the water with porpoises alid various fishes preying upon 

 the pilchards. Hector (1872) recorded a shoal migrating southwards east of 

 Otago, New Zealand, which extended as far as the eye could reach. It was 

 followed by a multitude of Gulls, Mutton-birds, Barracouta and Porpoises, 

 and the tish were so densely packed that a pitcher might be half-filled 

 with them by simply dipping it in the sea. 



Notwithstanding their great abundance, and value as food. Pilchards 

 are rarely seen in the markets in Australia. Ogilby (1898) noted that the 

 number observed in the markets over a space of eight years could be 

 counted on the fingers of one hand. Stead*, also speaking with experience 

 of our mai'kets, remarked that with the exception of an occasional basket 

 or two of Pilchards, offered as bait rather than for human consumption, 

 this fish does not usually pay toll. On one occasion, however, in 1908, 

 about forty baskets-full were netted, and after being salted and smoked, 

 were readily sold. 



As food. — Accoi'ding to Arthur (1883) the New Zealand Pilchard is 

 exceedingly good when fried, and is sold when smoked as the " Picton 

 Hen'ing." Stead (1908) states that they smoke well, and a small quantity 

 is so treated annually in New South Wales. Some which were captured 

 with those described above, were found to be quite good eating, but 

 with a tendency to quickly become I'ather soft. 



Breeding. — Nothing definite appears to have been recorded relative 

 to the reproduction of the Pilchard in Australian watei-s. According to 

 Arthur (1883), they spawn during the summer in New Zealand, and are 

 always very full of roe about Christmas time, when they are found in 

 small shoals. Larval specimens, 12-18 mm. long, have been described and 

 figured by Regan (1916). These were collected near North Cape, New 

 Zealand at a depth of three metres, on 1st September, 1911. 



Common Names. — This tish is generally recognised as the Pilchard or 

 Sardine. Macleay noted that the fishermen near Sydney called it "Maray," 

 a name also applied to other species of Herrings, while it is sold in New 

 Zealand in the smoked state as " Picton Herring." 



Rnnge. — On the eastern coast of Australia, the Pilchard ranges from 

 Tasmania (Johnston, 1882) northwards to Moreton Bay and Herve}^ Baj'^, 

 Queensland (Ogilby, 1916). Zietz (1908) included it in a list of South 

 Australian fishes, and Waite (1905) recorded Western Australian speci- 

 mens. It ranges from north to south in New Zealand, being observed at 

 Auckland (Sherrin, 1886), and recorded from the Auckland Islands by 

 Waite (1916). 



3 Henry— Trans. N. Zeal. Inst., xxxiv., 1902, p. 570. 



* Stead — Future of Commercial Marine Fishing in N.S.Wales (p. 17). 

 N.S.Wales Fisheries Departtnent, Pamphlet, 1911. 



