114 EDIBLE FISHES. 



food among the natives at cei-taiu seasons, and is the conniionest fish sold 

 in Auckland. Kanae have occasionally been obtained on the west coast 

 as far sontli as Porii-ua, at the north entrance of Cook Sti'ait, but have 

 not been seen in Wellington Harbour, probably because a rocky coast 

 and deep water is not suitable to theii' habits. The Kanae frequents the 

 tidal rivers, going out to sea in summer and returning in the winter in 

 immense numbers. They ai*e captured generally with nets, but they 

 also take the bait. The natives frequently ca2>ture them on still moon- 

 light nights by paddling their canoes close to the baioks of the streams ; 

 the fish are stai-tled by the beat of tlie paddle, and leaping iip fall into 

 the canoe, Tliis Mullet excels all other New Zealand fishes in richness, 

 and is now diied and smoked in large quantities for sale in Auckland. 

 The di-awing, PI. VI. fig. 57, is from a specimen obtained in Auckland 

 that measiu-ed 20 inches in length. 



58. Sea Mullet. 



The Makawhiti or Aua of the Maoris (Agonostoma Forsteri), PI. V. 

 fig. 21, is a common fish obtained at all seasons of the year by fishing 

 from the wharves in the harboui-s. It is commonly called Herring, from 

 its general resemblance in size and form to that fish, but is easily recog- 

 nised from the ti-ue Herring by having two fins on the back, the first of 

 which has only four rays. I particiilarly mention this, as in some years 

 what is supposed to be this fish visits the coast in enormous shoals like 

 the Herring of the British seas. Queen Charlotte Sound seems to be the 

 place most frequently visited by these migratory shoals, which appear at 

 the beginning of winter. The Picton Herring, a dried fish commonly 

 known throughout the colony, is the Aua preserved by smoking. PL VI. 

 fig. 58 is from one of the larger sized specimens that are occasionally got, 

 and measured 11 inches in leng-th. The more common size is 7 inches 

 long, and of a dark gi-eenish tint and more slender herring-like form. 



71. Butter Fish. 



The Mai-are of the natives, known as the Kelp Fish among the 

 fishermen and the Butter Fish in the market (CoHdodax pullus), is the 

 fish most commonly sold in Wellington during the winter months. It 

 has rather a forbidding appeai-aiace, having a dark coloured slimy skin 

 and inelegant form ; it is nevei-thelcss veiy good food, the flesh being 

 exceedingly short in the grain and well flavoured without being rich, 

 every part of the fish being singularly deficient in oil. It is always 



