40 NEW SOUTH WALES 



genei'ally on or near rocky points, or reefs running out for miles from the coast. 

 Its food is chiefly the mollusca living on the rocks, though the readiness with 

 which it will snap up bait of the most varied descriptions indicates tastes of ratheran 

 omnivorous character. Like all or most fishes, it has its periods of migration and 

 accumulation in shoals, a movement so well expi'essed by the term "schooling" 

 that we shall adopt the phrase for the future. The time of the appearance of the 

 "school schna^jper" is the early part of summer; it is then believed to be at 

 least tliree years old, the previous stages of its existence being well known under 

 the names of " red bream " at the age of one year, and of "squire" at two. At 

 a still greater age the schnapijer seems to cease to school, and becomes what is 

 known as the " native," and "rock native," a solitary and sometimes enormously 

 large fish. The opinion, however, of Mr. M'Carthy, who is undoubtedly a most 

 accurate and intelligent observer, is that these differences actually indicate three 

 or more perfectly distinct species.* At the first apjjearance of the school fish in 

 early summer the roes are small, but the full size is attained in or about January, 

 about which time no doubt the spawn is deposited. The actual mode of the 

 deposition or attachment of the spawn has never been observed, and the same may 

 be said of the date of the first appearance of the young fry, but there can be little 

 doubt that the dejjosition takes place in moderately deep water near the land, and 

 that the young are jDrobably hatched before the winter season. The young fish in 

 the shape of "red bream " are abundant in the harbours and inlets, but never in 

 shallow water, and are seldom captured in lai'ge quantities in the seine ; they take 

 the hook, however, freely, and the cajiture of them is a very favourite pastime of 

 the Sydney people. The schnapper is generally caught by tlie hook, Irat instances 

 have been known of their l:>eing taken in Lake Macquarie and other places by 

 means of very deep nets. — R.R.C. 



"The schnapper," says Count Castelnan, "is one of the largest and hand- 

 somest of the fish of the Melbourne market. It is found all the year 

 round, but those caught in the cold months of the year are generally 

 small ; in November and December it becomes much more abundant, and 

 the very large specimens are common. It is a good article of food. As 

 I had already observed at the Cape of Good Hope with respect to 

 OJtnjsophiys, the specimens of this species are subject to very remark- 

 able changes in their form. The female has always a rather oval profile, 

 and the young male has the same, but in the latter sex, age brings on 

 the development of a curious crest on the nape of the head, and a 

 protuberance, which in very old individuals takes the appearance of an 

 enormous nose, and gives to some of these individuals a most remarkable 

 resemblance to the human face. The schnapper is of a beautiful silver 

 pink, with the lower parts of the body white and silvery, dorsal pink, 

 with sometimes white spots on the membranes. The caudal becomes 

 blackish towards its end; all the fins are pink, with the exception of the 

 anal and ventral, which are white. The young specimens are covered 

 with white and sometimes with blue spots, which disappear with age. 

 These appear to be the Pagrus guttnlatus of Cuvier. Some old speci- 

 mens assume a beautiful red colour. The species attains large proportions, 

 and sometimes weighs as much as 30 lbs."t 



The range of this species is very great. It is found in almost all 

 Australian waters, and extends to New Zealand, Norfolk Island and Lord 

 Howe's Island. Any isolated reef or submerged rock, or as the sailors 

 term it, " bumbora," surrounded by deep water, may be considered its 

 favourite haunt. Subjoined are some very interesting remarks on this 



* Mr. Oliver denies that there are three species of schnapper ; he regards all 

 as varieties, dependent on food and habitat. 



t Essay on Ichthyology, in the first volume of the Proceedings of the Victorian 

 Acclimatization Society, p. 70. 



