60 NEW SOUTH WALES 



tlie attention of fishermen in search, when the net is speedily shot 

 around them, and the depredators captured, together with their intended 

 victims. 



"I have known them in large numbers about the line boats, both 

 between and outside the Heads, and along the coast, to rush up in mobs 

 headlong to the surface at every occasion when a fish of another kind 

 was hauled in ; nothing would induce them to take a bait, and I have 

 witnessed and participated in the sport, and have killed several with the 

 spear when in their headlong and perpendicular career they have come 

 up to the surface in the way described, but these were only compara- 

 tively small ones, and of moderate size. 



" If you are fishing in the harbour, and the king-fishes are about, pro- 

 cure, if possible, a live yellow-tail or a mackerel, pass your hook through 

 one of these alive, above the tail, so that it will not be disabled too 

 much, put out your line that it may be able to swim away, and when 

 all other bait have failed, the king-fish is almost certain to seize this. 

 When the king-fishes are in good condition, and properly fresh, the belly 

 part, cured and smoked, is far superior to any of the imported fish cured 

 in that way : and that portion cured alone and used immediately, before 

 it gets too salt, boiled and served up with egg sauce, is a choice morceau. 

 Sometimes these fishes appear out of season, are lean and lanky ; and 

 then they are dry and comparatively ill-flavoured. 



The Samson-fish. 



This fish has very minute scales, and is of a silvery colour, with a 

 greenish back. It is much higher in proportion to its length than the 

 King-fish, with a large head and a high short snout. Tail deeply forked, 

 pectoral fins broad and short, ventrals black. This fish has five rather 

 broad black cross bands and one above the eye, but they disappear in old 

 specimens. 



" The Samson-fish (Seriola hippos, Giinth.) is occasionally caught either 

 in the harbour or ofi" the headlands outside ; its habits are similar to 

 those of the king-fishes, except that it moves about in deep water, and 

 is more fond of the northern latitude. 



"The great strength of these fishes is remarkable, and which probably 

 is the cause that gave it the name of Samson-fish, as sailors or ship- 

 wrights give to the name of a strong post resting on the keelson of a 

 ship, and supporting the upper beam, and bearing all the weight of the 

 deck cargo near the hold, Samson post. I saw one of these fishes caught 

 in Botany Bay a few weeks ago, and it gave much trouble for its size, 

 although I have seen them in good condition run away with a schnapper 

 line and break them with ease." 



The Tailor. 



(Plate XX.) 



Temnodon is the genus to which our "tailor" belongs. In this the 

 body is oblong, compressed, covered with cycloid scales of moderate 

 size ; mouth wide, with single series of strong teeth, smaller ones on 

 the vomer and palatine bones. First dorsal with eight feeble spines 



