FISH AND FISHERIES. 87 



to be found about the mouth of the Hawkesbury River at all seasons of 

 the year. It can easily be distinguished from C. sagax, by its much 

 deeper and more compressed body, its deciduous scales, and the bright 

 golden bands on each side of its back. It is about 7 inches long. 

 It is as well known to the fishermen as the herring, and visits the coast 

 like the last in enormous shoals which travel in a northerly direction. 

 It seems probable that its breeding-ground is not far distant, as some 

 are found in the Hawkesbury at all seasons, and the young fry, of 

 apparently the same species, sometimes abundant. The adult fish is 

 caught in great numbers in Java and Celebes, and forms a very important 

 article of food to the population. In excellence and delicacy of flavour, 

 Mr. Macleay thinks them superior to the common herring of Scotland, 

 and that preserved in oil like sardines they would rival those delicacies. 



The same herring is rather common in the Upper Hunter at all 

 seasons, but it is small. At West Maitland the anglers value the fish 

 for sport, though it very seldom exceeds seven inches in length. But it 

 is delicious eating. It is best caught with the common house-fly dropped 

 gently upon the water and moved along the surface with caution. 



C. hypelosoma, Bleek, is very like the last ; it is proportionately deeper, 

 the maxillary bones seem to extend further back under the eyes, and 

 there is no golden band along the upper part of each side. It is not 

 unfrequently seen in Port Jackson, and is called herring also. It is 

 considered equal in flavour to the " Maray." It is said to pass the 

 Sydney heads in enormous shoals like the last, and to mingle with them. 



C. mollucensis, Bleek, is a Molluca fish said to be seen in Port Jack- 

 son ; if so, it must be extremely rare. Nothing is known of its 

 character. 



C. tembang, Bleek. North Australia — rare. 



C. NovcB-hollandice Cuv. and Val. This and the two following 

 species are the Australian representatives of the sprat ; they are mostly 

 fresh-water fishes. The one named is a beautiful little fish about 5 

 inches long, known as the herring in all the tributaries of the Hawkes- 

 bury, perhaps not in any other eastern rivers, and certainly not in any 

 of the western ones. Angling for this fish is a favourite sport in some 

 of the upper waters of the Nepean, but it is of no value as an article of 

 food. 



C. vittata, Castelnau. Abundant in the Melbourne market at times, 

 and known as the smelt. It is probably a fresh-water species. 



C. ricJmiondia, Macleay. A fresh-water species peculiar to the 

 Richmond ' River, which much resembles C novce-hoUandice, except 

 that it is smaller and has a broad silvery stripe on the sides, margined 

 above and below by a dark stripe. 



C. schlegelii, Castelnau, is a rare species from Port Darwin, N.A. 



Sjyrattelloides. Mouth anterior and lateral, abdomen not keeled, 

 dorsal fin opposite ventrals, no teeth. Only one species, *S'. delicatulus, 

 Beun. It was seen in enormous shoals at Darnley Island during the 

 fortnight that the " Chevert " lay there. At that time, the early part 

 of August, 1875, the whole northern shox^e was literally black with them, 



