54 NEW SOUTH WALES 



pounds ; the scales are very large, the teeth formidable, flesh coarse, and 

 sometimes filled with parasites in the form of worms. This fish is not 

 looked upon with any degree of regard, and is rarely sought after, 

 except for an exhibition of his great strength, and which in my estima- 

 tion is about the only redeeming quality he has. A true carnivora, 

 formidable to shoals of smaller fishes on which he attends for his meals, 

 making havoc among them as occasion and his good appetite may require, 

 these adult fishes exhibit a good deal of cvinning, and prefer turbid 

 waters for their depredations ; they will go high up rivers, even into 

 fresh water, and make an astonishing commotion among the shallows. 

 The half-grown ones frequently hunt in numbers like a pack of wolves, 

 or our own native dogs bailing up an old man kangaroo in a waterhole. 

 I recollect on one occasion, in the basin at Broken Bay, when some half 

 dozen of us were on a week's fishing excursion, armed cap-a-^ne with 

 boats, nets, lines, spears, and all the necessary paraphernalia for the 

 venture, and anchored a short distance only from the entrance. At the 

 dawn of day, and young flood-tide, we saw a terrible commotion among 

 the smaller fishes ; the net-boat was immediately equipped, and we at 

 once pushed off for the enti'ance or channel, which leads into the basin. 

 The tide, which had risen about a foot on the flats inside, afforded 

 shelter for the time for the smaller fishes, but as soon as the depth 

 increased a few more inches, in went the pack of jew-fishes pell mell, 

 which created a sensation among, and actually drove many of the fry 

 high and dry ashore. Our net was speedily run out, and it was suffi- 

 ciently long to cut off the retreat of four or five and twenty of the 

 medium-size jews ; their little game was at an end, and after several 

 desperate attempts to get out we succeeded in securing the lot, besides a 

 large niimber of various fishes which they had hemmed in. 



"The deep water of Middle Harbour, above the Spit, and along the 

 rocks high up near the Echo Point, are favourite resorts for these huge 

 fishes, and it requires good lines and hooks to resist the heavy drag they 

 put on. 



" Sydney harbour is a great place, off the points, where the water is 

 deep and the tide strong. Here they lie in wait for their prey, but after 

 rain, when the water is muddy or discoloured, they sally out from these 

 lurking-places in every direction. Early morning or nightfall is the 

 favourite time for fishing for the jew-fish." 



The " Teraglin " belongs to the genus Otoliihus, of which about twenty 

 species are known from the tropical and subtropical parts of the Atlantic 

 and Indian Oceans. The air-bladder is of extraordinary form, with 

 appendages above and below. Snout obtuse or somewhat pointed ; 

 lower jaw longer. First dorsal with nine or ten feeble spines, canine 

 teeth ; preoperculum denticulated ; scales moderate or small. 



The Teraglin. 



(Plate XVII.) 



0. otelodus, Giinth. Catal. {0. teraglin, Macleay), is a bluish 

 silvery fish, lighter on the belly. All the fins of a dark tinge 

 except the ventrals, which are white, with the space between the first 

 and second rays black. Teeth acute, recurved ; eye large, preoperculum 



