100 EDIBLE FISHES. 



Imman i"ace and lower forms of animal life from island to island of the 

 Polynesian group mnst have been greatly influenced by tlieir agency. 

 If the assistance of the naval officers on the station were secured, with 

 the splendid opportunities they possess for observation, much valuable 

 data on this interesting siibject would soon be obtained. 



A few words on the kinds of fislies which are associated together in 

 different parts of the European seas Avill well enable the reader to realise 

 by comparison the character of the fisheries which are most natural to this 

 country. The sea on the western coast of Europe has been divided* 

 into three provinces by the character of its marine fauna, two of which 

 possess extremely distinct characters. The most northern is the Boreal 

 province, in which there are few species of fish, but great abundance 

 of individuals, their pursuit affording the sole employment of large 

 communities of fishermen. In this province the Salmon skirts the 

 coast line and entei-s the rivers ; Herrings abound in the surface waters 

 during their projjer season ; in fifteen to fifty fathoms water the Cod 

 and the Hake are plentiful ; while from that depth to 100 fathoms Holibut, 

 Whiting, Pollack, Ling, and Tusk, employ thousands of men in most 

 adventurous and perilous fisheries, which are conducted in the deep sea, 

 far from land. 



The most chsaimilar province from the Boreal is the Lusitanian, which 

 includes all the southerli European seas, and is characterised by the pro- 

 fusion of Sea Perches, like our Kahawai and Hapuku — Sparoids, like 

 the Snapper, and Scomberoid fishes, which include the Mackerel, Flying 

 Fish, the Tunny, the John Dory, together with Gurnets and Midlets 

 of various kinds, all of which are without re})resentatives in the extreme 

 north. On the other hand, we remark the absence from this marine pro- 

 vince of the Salmon and all the many S}>ecies of the Cod kind, which are so 

 plentiful in the former. The Herring kind is common to both provinces, 

 but is rejjresented in the south by several different sjjecies, of wliich the 

 Pilchard is the most abundant. 



The third province is that which has a mixed or intermediate character 

 between the foregoing ; being, in fact, a neuti-al gi-ound into which the 

 northern fish are attracted during the winter season, while the southern 

 genera are represented there duiiiig the summer Inoliths. This region 

 of the Eui-opean seas, wliich is termed the Celtic 2)rovince by Professor 

 Forbes, includes the British seas, ami is practically the most bountiful 

 in supplying varied and excellent kinds of fish throughout the year. 

 • Professor E. Forbes, "Natural History of Eui-opean Seas." 



