106 NEW SOUTH WALES 



The genus belongs to the Silitridce, which is distinguished by a short 

 dorsal fin in front, with a pungent spine. A second long dorsal is 

 united with the caudal and anal into one fin ; teeth in the upper jaw 

 conical, on the vomer molar-like, in the lower jaw mixed ; barbels eight, 

 cleft of mouth transverse ; eyes of moderate size, with a free orbital 

 margin. The gill-membranes are separated by a deep notch, united 

 anteriorily only, the united portion not attached to the isthmus. The 

 first branchial arch with a fringed membrane along the hinder edge of 

 its concave side. Ventral fins, many rayed ; head rather compressed. 

 There are two other genera in Australia, Plotosus and Neoplotosus. The 

 differences are principally in the gill-membranes and teeth. They are 

 found in the fresh waters of Western and Southern Australia. The cat- 

 fish proper {C. tandanus) is brought abundantly to Melbourne by the 

 Echuca railway. The fishermen distinguish three sorts, the white, 

 black, and blue, but they are only varieties. The colours are subject to 

 the greatest changes. The back is steel colour or olive, often marbled. 

 The head and barbels pink. Again, there are specimens of a brownish- 

 black, and others white, with the head yellow. The teeth are white, in 

 a triangular band on each maxillary, twice as broad as long, and the 

 vomerine in a semi-circular disc. The first dorsal arises frem the neck, 

 and is nearly as high as the body, and its spine is more than half the 

 length of the head ; pectoral as strong, but shorter. 



The Bony Bream. 



A fish of the herring tribe is also found in these rivers [Chatoessus 

 riclhardsonii). The native name on the Murrumbidgee is " Iva-i-ra, " 

 and by the white settlers it is sometimes known as the " bony bream. " 

 It is said to appear at times in immense shoals. It is a handsome, 

 good-sized fish, but almost useless for food on account of the multitude 

 of bones in it. 



In Chatoessus, which belongs to the herring family, the body is 

 compressed and the abdomen serrated ; scales of moderate size ; snout 

 obtuse, or obtusely conical, more or less projecting beyond the cleft of 

 the mouth which is narrow and without teeth. There are ten species 

 known from the brackish and fresh waters of Central America. One 

 species ranges to New York ; the rest belong to Australia, the East 

 Indies, and Japan. We have two species, C. richardsoni and C 

 erebi. The first is a more convex and less elongate form and has the 

 last dorsal ray half the length of that of C. erebi. Count Castelnau 

 states that it is much esteemed as food in the Melbourne market and 

 sells at a high price ; also, that according to Blandowski it is called 

 inanur by the natives. It leaps frequently out of the water and is 

 easily caught by its elongated ray in thin fine nets, laid by the natives 

 horizontally on the water. It is most numerous on the Darling. In 

 June and July it is at its best, and then forms one of the principal 

 articles of food for the natives. The young women are not permitted to 

 eat them, from a belief that if they did all the fishes woidd die. It is a 

 very fat and nourishing fish. It is also placed on the tops of graves for 

 superstitious purposes. Mr. Macleay does not think these statements 

 correct. The name Trith the Wooradirererie or Murrumbide:ee language 



