44 NEW SOUTH WALES 



They probably never enter fresli water. There are about thirty species 

 known, all of which have a plain silvery colour, with smooth or ciliated 

 scales, eye large, dentition feeble, and palate toothless, dorsal fin nearly 

 divided. 



The white bream, the subject under notice, is scarcely so well known 

 as either the red or black bream, neither is it so great a favourite as an 

 article of food. This fish is seldom or never caught by hook and line. 

 The net is the only certain means to bring a supply, and then at par- 

 ticular seasons only. It is necessary to cook the silver-belly, as it is 

 often called, perfectly fresh, and the sooner after it is caught the better ; 

 otherwisfe, if allowed to get stale, it is flavourless, flabby, and soft, and 

 more like some of the muddy fresh- water fishes in taste. In this species 

 the lower pharyngeal bones are coalescent, which makes its place among 

 the Perches doubtful. 



The same author gives an admirable sketch of the habits and mode 

 of capture of the black bream. He says that these fishes visit our 

 harbours " from seaward periodically during the summer months of 

 February, March, and April, and are adult fishes, being full-roed at the 

 time of their visit ; probably they are migratory for the purpose of 

 sjDawning. These are fine conditioned, and firm, good-eating fishes, and 

 ranked by a majority as one of the best. During the period of their 

 visit they are terribly harassed by hook and line and the net. Scores 

 of boats wait on them during the night at Watson's Bay, Camp Cove, 

 Quarantine, and Middle Harbour Points, armed with good and very 

 light tackle — the finer the better ; and for bait, some fresh or a day old 

 mackerel, or much better still, some prawn procured at low-tide by 

 stamping down the weeds to muddy the water ; these are called nippers, 

 from the disproportionate size of one claw. The black bream likes a 

 large soft bait as a rule, but on these occasions he seems to prefer the 

 crustacean named ; they pick it up and rush off" at full tilt (no nibbling 

 with them), and pull hard and sheer about with a full determination if 

 possible to get away. Some difiiculty is experienced by the novice in 

 attempting to unhook his fish, and often a lacerated hand is the penalty 

 of his want of skill. The black bream is armed with spines, as the 

 order implies ; but his are sharper and more rolnist than any of the 

 others, and the first rays of the pectoral and ventral fins were used by 

 the aboriginals wherewith to tip their fish spears. To unJiook a black 

 bream it should be firmly grasped about the middle — certainly about 

 the pectoral fins, suflScient to paralyse him, then take out the hook. 

 Otherwise, if the fish is handled gingerly, the first wriggle he gives will 

 release him, and the second motion will perhaps cause your hand to be 

 cut deeply by the operculum or bony gill covering, which is as sharp as 

 a good knife, or stab you with a spine or two in the struggle. The 

 black bream, however, which remain and are plentiful in the harbour at 

 most times, become terribly gross and filthy feeders. Nothing seems 

 to come amiss to them, and they are found more plentiful about the 

 mouths of sewers, hulks, and ships, which remain stationary for any 

 period, under wharfs, and near bathing-houses. They are often sought 

 at these jolaces by the amateur. These fishes exhibit a great deal of 

 cunning, and require an artificial bait to tempt them. Dough amalga- 

 mated with herring, anchovy, or ling. With this the hook, already 



