42 ON CEEATODUS FOSTERI. 



the fish rises to the surface of the water to inhale more air but 

 not always, as I have frequently seen it rise without noticing 

 any sound. The noise can be made after the fish has been 

 brought on land, and appears to be caused by a rush of air 

 through the throat and gills. I have frequently watched the* 

 fish when making the noise and seen the fluttering of the gills 

 at the same time. I have passed my hand with a slight pres- 

 sure on the lower part of the throat and heard the noise plainly 

 there. This noise is also produced by the fish when under the 

 water, as on several occasions when I have been out with the 

 blacks I have dived for the purpose of hearing it. 



The fish though edible, is not, as a rule, much relished. 

 There is a dry insipid taste with it when freshly caught and 

 cooked ; but by those who do eat the fish it is generally salted 

 for a day or two, then washed, stuffed a la sucker and baked. In 

 colour the flesh resembles that of the English salmon, from 

 which circumstance it probably derives its popular name ; it is a 

 deep pink colour and makes a pretty dish. 



The Ceratodus, like other fish, lays eggs. The season com- 

 mences about the beginning of November and terminates about 

 the middle of December. The eggs are generally deposited 

 amongst the growing weeds, but are occasionally found adhering 

 to the side or bottom of logB lying in the water. When first 

 ejected, the whole ovum is spherical and about one-tenth of an 

 inch in diameter ; its colour is brown. A filmy whitish cloud 

 accompanies the ova on their ejection, and it is at this time that 

 the male fish is supposed to accompany his mate, swimming 

 alongside or over this cloud and depositing the sperm which 

 germinates or fertilizes the eggs. There is a gelutinous cover- 

 ing to the eggs which quickly swells on contact with the water 

 and assumes a blubbery appearance, but is still clearly trans- 

 parent — the centre germ being distinctly visible. After a few 

 hours a greenish colour forms around the edge of the germ. In 

 twenty-four hours the Qgg is very nearly spherical and has 

 increased in size to -^ of an inch, the germ showing an increase 

 to Y^g of an inch, and the whole blub now becoming slightly 

 clouded. As day succeeds day, the only perceptible change is 

 that the egg has become more clouded and coarser in appearance 



