24 



sea and their re-entrance into the same or other rivers ; the behef 

 is that the time is very short, rhat the movement is only from one 

 opening of the coast to another, and always from south to north. 

 There can be httle doubt that the fish, after spawning, find their 

 way back to their old haunts ; but they have very seldom been 

 seen so returning. The spent fish are for a time unfit for food, 

 but they improve in condition very rapidly. The only instrument 

 of capture used for the Mullet is the seine-net. The range of the 

 species is from the Gippsland lakes on the south up to Brisbane 

 on the north." The weight of a full-grown sea-mullet is from 6 

 to 8 lb., sometimes more. If preserved and tinned, this fish 

 would form a va.luable article for export as well as for home con- 

 sumption. It is much to be regretted that no tinning establish- 

 ment exists in Australia, and too often this fine fish is taken solely 

 for its oil and roe ; the latter, slightly smoked and dried, is con- 

 sidered a great delicacy. 



" The Flat-tail Mullet is also a very good fish, but has neither 

 the size nor the extreme excellence of the Sea-Mullet. It appears 

 also at the end of summer or beginning of winter, and spawns in 

 our bays and creeks ; but the shoals are never of the same enor- 

 mous size as are common with the other. 



" The other species (J/, dohda) is, except at the schooling '■ 

 season, almost a freshwater fish, living as high up the streams as 

 it can get; but it cannot, like the European salmon, pass up rapids 

 or falls. It is a good fish, but inferior to both the others. The 

 term ' Hard-gut Mullet ' is sometimes applied to this species, but 

 more frequently the fishermen apply that name to immature spe- 

 cimens of the 'Sea-Mullet.' It is sometimes taken by the hook. 



" The ' Sand-Mullet ' {Myxiis chmgatus) seldom exceeds seven 

 or eight inches in length ; and though no doubt excellent eating, 

 as are all the family, is looked upon as too small for the market." — 

 R. R. Com., pp. 27-30. 



LaBRID/E. 



The most important of this group is the blue groper 

 {Cossyphns go2ildii), a valuable and delicious fish, attaining 

 a large size, and often 20 to 30 lbs. in weight. The head 



