22 



large and handsome fish, and affords good sport to the amateur 

 fisherman. 



" The ' Tailor,' is well known in Port Jackson. The young fish 

 are constantly making their appearance in shoals in the summer 

 season, and are taken in the seines in great numbers. They are 

 much in demand for bait, but are not a favourite catch for the 

 fishermen, as they are most destructive to the nets. The adult fish 

 are large, and are known in the Melbourne market by the name of 

 ' skip-jack.' They school in midsummer, move in enormous shoals, 

 and are said to be most destructive to the young and spawn of 

 other fishes. As an article of food they are not in much request, 

 but when fresh there are few more delicate and well-tasted fish." 

 — R. R. C, pp. 25, 26. 



Neptomenus travale and A^. brama are good food-fish, 

 but rare in Port Jackson. To the south, however, they are 

 more common, and reach to a considerable size, weighing 

 from 5 to 10 lbs. 



MUGILIDtE. 



" A very wide-spread and valuable group of fishes, amply repre- 

 sented in Australian waters. The best-known species in New South 

 Wales are the ' Sea-Mullet (^Mugil grandis, Castelnau) ; the 'Flat- 

 tail Mullet ' {Mugil peroiiii, Cuv. & Val.) ; the ' River ' or ' Hard- 

 gut Mullet ' {Miigil dobula, Giinther) ; and the ' Sand-Mullet ' or 

 ' Talleygalann ' {Myxiis clongatus, Giinther), There are other 

 species, such as Mtigil cephalotus ,pciardi, coinpressus, argenteits, and 

 aciitus ; but they are rarely seen and little known, and not there- 

 fore classifiable as useful fishes. The first of this Ust, the Sea- 

 Mullet, is a large fish attaining when full grown a length of 2 feet. 

 It is unsurpassed in richness and delicacy of flavour by any fish in 

 the world, the Salmon not excepted ; and it offers itself for our 

 use in countless numbers at the very season when it is in the best 

 possible condition. The history of this fish is now pretty well 

 known, though it will be seen by a perusal of the large amount of 

 evidence printed in the Appendix, that there are many very con- 

 flicting statements and opinions given." 



