284 THE GREAT BARRIER REEE. 



paradiscus, Gth., which is the more common, being known among the pearl-shell fishermen as the 

 China or Paradise fish. Neither of these two last-named fish appears to exceed half-a-pound 

 in weight. The colours of the two species correspond closely with one another, and consist of a 

 silvery ground tint, variegated with pale pink, blue, and yellow, longitudinal stripes. 



The family of the Squamipinnes, or scale-finned fishes, is distinguished, as the name im- 

 plies, by the fact that the scales are developed more or less extensively upon the surfaces of the 

 dorsal and anal fins, the line of demarcation between these fins and the body, in consequence of 

 this peculiarity, being very frequently almost completely obliterated. The numerous representatives 

 of this group are, for the most part, of small size and brilliantly coloured, and frequenters chiefly 

 of the inter-tropical waters and coral-reefs. There are, however, some half-a-dozen species taken on 

 the Queensland coast that have to be classified among the food fishes. These include three species 

 of Scatophagus, having some external resemblance to certain of the trevallies, or horse mackerels; 

 one of these, S. cctate-varians, De V., being the so-called banded dorey of the Queensland coast-line, 

 is represented by Fig. 4 of Plate XLVII. A species of Scorpis, S. vinosa, A. & Mel., allied to 

 S. cequipinnis, Rich., the so-called sweep of the Sydney fishermen; and Drepane punctata, C. & Val, 

 a handsome compressed silvery fish, esteemed for food and distributed throughout the north- 

 eastern, northern, and north-western coast-lines of the Australian continent, belong to the same 

 family group. The vernacular name of this last-named fish, given to the author at Port Darwin, 

 by the Chinese fishermen, was that of chonghu. On the Queensland coast-line it is commonly 

 known by the title of the spotted dorey, and under the last-named designation is photographi- 

 cally illustrated in Plate XLIV., Fig. 3. 



A somewhat remarkable species belonging to the family of the Squamipinnes, common in 

 the estuary of the Endeavour and other native rivers, and which is particularly abundant in the 

 Norman River and adjacent lagoons, is known at Normanton as the "spotted bream." Its correct 

 scientific name is Toxotes jacidator, and it is elsewhere distinguished by the title of the rifle or 

 archer-fish, with reference to its singular method of securing its food. This consists chiefly of 

 the flies that settle on the surface of the water-plants in its haunts, which it adroitly captures 

 by discharging a small jet of water at them from its mouth. So accurate is the fish's aim, that the 

 fly is often hit and precipitated into the water, where it is immediately seized, from a distance of 

 two or three feet. An illustration of this singular fish is given on Plate XLV., Fig. 4. It is fair 

 eating, but rarely exceeds a length of ten or twelve inches, or a weight of one or two pounds. 



The family of the red mullets, or Mullidae, whose members are characterised by their predom- 

 inating red or rosy hues, and the two filamentous appendages or barbels that depend from their 

 lower lip, comprises fish of high commercial value. It includes, in European waters, the typical 

 red mullet, Mullus surmuletus, L., for which, in classic ages, fabulous sums were frequently paid, 

 and which, up to the present day, maintains its reputation as one of the most recherche and delicate 

 oi table fishes. Several closely allied species are indigenous to Australia ; the Victorian red 



