i6 



The young fish, and those of all stages of growth short of the 

 adult full-roed fish, seem to reside in the harbours, estuaries, and 

 lakes in which they were born until their departure to the sea ; 

 and it is while thus still, as it were, in their nursery that the most 

 improvident havoc is played on them by the fishermen. The age 

 and season of the m.igration of these fishes to the sea have not 

 been observed, but on their return they are always in considerable 

 shoals." "The Whiting are ground-fish, and, though they are 

 occasionally taken with the hook, they are generally caught in the 

 seine. The ' Trumpeter Whiting ' is not in such request as the 

 other, nor is it found in such abundance. The time of arrival 

 from the sea is winter, or a month or two later than the Sand- 

 Whiting. Its habits are much the same in other respects." 

 " There are other genera of Trachinidcc found in Australian waters, 

 but none of them having any pretension to utility for food or 

 any other purpose.'"' 



SCI^NID/E. 



The most important of this family is the Jew-fish 

 {Scicsna antarctica), which attains to a large size, ex- 

 ceeding 5 feet in length. (A large specimen may be seen 

 in the collection on exhibit in the New South Wales 

 Court). It is a fish that always finds a ready sale, but 

 when very large the flesh is rather coarse. Our ' Report ' 

 remarks, p. 20, that — 



" It is said to be very frequently cooked by fishmongers and 

 others and sold as ' fried Schnapper.' It is found at almost all 

 seasons, but most abundantly in summer. It is a deep-sea fish, 

 generally caught with the hook, though young specimens may be 

 occasionally taken in the net inshore." " It has been more than 

 once asserted that this fish is identical with Scio^na aqinla, the 

 well-known and highly appreciated ' maigre ' of the Mediterranean ; 

 and Count Castelnau, though originally describing our Jew-fish as 

 a different species, has lately admitted having some doubt on the 

 subject." 



" The air-bladder of some of the same genus of fishes is of great 



