EDIBLE PISHES OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 115 



These fislies occur in the Sydney market during all seasons of the year, 

 generally in small numbers and rather irregularly ; occasionally, however, 

 they appear in fair quantity, this being almost invariably in August or 

 September when they are in line condition and full of ripe ova ; by the end 

 of October these small schools have disappeared. We are unable to say how 

 or where the spawn is shed. They are very voracious, swim rapidly and 

 high in the water, and feed principally on small fishes, of which they destroy 

 large numbers ; it is probable that nothing in motion through the water, 

 which they can swallow, comes amiss to them ; we have taken the following 

 fishes from their intestines ; Yellowtail {Caranx frachurus), Tailor (^Temnodon 

 saltator), Hardyhead {Atherina pinguis). Mullet (JSlugil ^peroni), and Grar- 

 fish {Semirhamphus r effularis) ,hesides numbers of fry too small or too much 

 decomposed to be readily recot;nisable ; no other substances have as yet 

 been found by us. As table fish they are excellent. Like the Barracoutas 

 of Tasmania, these fishes, where plentiful, afford excellent sport to the line 

 fisher by trailing baited hooks or artificial lures after a boat kept sailing at 

 a moderate rate of speed. 



Exactly how far to the northward this Pike is found is not known, but it 

 is not included in Saville Kent's list of Queensland l^^ood Fishes ; to the 

 southward, however, it increases rapidly in numbers, and is common on the 

 coast of Victoria, where Castelnau says that it " is considered by many as 

 the most delicate of the Victorian fishes"; and again, writing in 1872, he 

 remarks: — " The fishmongers say that, some years ago, this fish used to be 

 generally larger than now, and that it was quite common to get them over 

 a yard long. It is only rarely that such specimens appear on the market 

 now." Mr. North, howevei', informs me that he has frequently caught them 

 in Western Port measuring considerably more than three feet, in fact, 

 approaching to, if not exceeding, four feet. To the westward it occurs at 

 least as far as Adelaide. It is not included in Johnston's Catalogue of 

 Tasmanian Pishes. 



The largest specimen seen in market measured thirty five inches. 



Genus II.— DINOLESTES. 



Dinolestes, Ivlunzinger, Arch. f. Nat. 1872, p. 29, pi. iii. 

 Neosphyraena, Castelnau, Proc. Zool. Soc. Vic, i. p. 96 1872. 

 Lanioperca, Giinther, Ann. Nat. Hist. (4) 1872, x. p. 183. 



Branchiostegals seven : pseudobranchise present. Body moderately 

 elongate, compressed. Cleft of mouth wide. Eye lateral. Jaws, vomer, 

 and palatine bones with narrow bands of viliifortn teeth, the former with an 

 outer enlarged series : one or two pairs of very strong canines anteriorly in 

 the upper jaw. Two dorsal fins, the anterior small : the posterior and the 

 anal well developed, the latter with two spines : ventrals situated considerably 

 in front of the first dorsal. Scales moderate, eyelid, deciduous. 



Geographical distribution. — Australian seas. 



DINOLESTES MUELLEEI. 



Dinolestes muelleri, Klunz. Arch. f. Nat. 1872, p. 29, pi. iii. 

 Neospliyrcena multiradiata, Casteln. Proc. Zool. Soc. Vict. i. p. 9G. 

 Lanioperca mordax, Grnth. Ann. Nat. Hist. (4)) 1872, x. p. 183 ; Macleay, 



Catal. Austr. Pish. ii. p. 36 ; Woods, Pisher. N. S. Wales, pis. xxviii. 



xxix. McCoy, Prodr. Zool. Vict. dec. xii. pi. 115. 

 Esox? lewini. Griff. An. Kingd. Ed. p. 465, pi. Ix. 1834 ; Gill, Ann. Nat. 



Hist. (4) 1874, xiv. p. 159. 



