120 EDIBLE FISHES. 



tile Pilchard l)y its long head and projecting upper jaw and deeply cut 

 mouth. PI. XI. fig. 99 is a drawing of the English Ancliovy, inserted 

 for comparison, in order to assist in the identitication of the fish. Its 

 usual length is 5 inches. 



A third fish allied to the Herring (Chanos sabnonea, (PL XI. fig. 101) 

 which is stated to occur in New Zealand, has also been figured from 

 Richardson's work, but there is some doubt of the locality being correct. 

 At any rate this fish is hardly entitled to the popular name of Herring 

 which is applied to it in the Catalogue, as it has neither the abundance 

 nor the familiar form of that fisii. 



114. Leather Jacket 



This remarkably shaped fish {Monocanthus convexirostris) is very 

 common in Wellington Harbour, and on other pai-ts of the coast is not 

 uufrequent. Though usually cast aside as worthless it has really 

 palatable flesh when the tough skin, from which it receives its tiivial 

 name, is removed. The Maori name for this fish is Kiriri. In other 

 countries members of this genus are called Trigger Fishes, from the 

 power which they possess of suddenly erecting the stiff spine on the 

 back with a snap that holds it rigid without further effort. The usual 

 si^e of the Leather Jacket is about 11 inches long, PI. XII. fig. 114 

 being one-third the natural size. 



Sharks. 



The Maoris are large consumers of Sharks, or Mango as they term 

 them, of various species, but chiefly the Smooth-hound {Miistelhis 

 antarctic us), Dog-fish of two species (Sc//Utum laticeps and Acanthias 

 vulgaris), and the Tope [Galeus cards). All of these may be seen at 

 certain seasons at any Maori settlement by the sea-side, hanging on poles 

 to dry in thousands, and rendering the neighbourhood extremely unplea- 

 sant. The species most valued is, however, the Smooth-hound, which is 

 the only Shark that is properly edible, as it lives on Shell-fish and Crabs, 

 and has the same clean-feeding habits as the Skate. In the Hebrides 

 and north of Scotland the flesh of this harmless little Shark is considered 

 to be a great delicacy, but I have never heard of its being eaten by 

 the white settlers in the colony. 



It has been, however, drawn with the edible fishes, so that it may be 

 readily distinguished from other Sharks, which, not being so 2)articular 

 in their diet, are \ini\t for food. It will be found drawn to one-ninth 

 the natural aiza, in PI. XII. tig. l'2'd. 



