NOTES ON A SAPROLEGNIA EPIDEMIC 

 AM0NG8T gUEENSLANI) EISH. 



By T. Harvey Johnston, M.A., D.Sc, C.M.Z.S., 



Walter and Eliza Hall FelloAv in Economic Biology, The 



University, Brisbane ; Hon. Zoologist to 



the Queensland Museum. 



{Read before the Royal Society of Queensland, 2Gth November, 



1917). 



Early in July, 1917, Mr. F. Mills wrote on behalf of 

 the local authorities at Longreach, in Central Queensland, 

 to the Health Department, Brisbane, stating that large 

 numbers of fish were dying in the Thomson River from 

 some unknown cause, and as the river was not running, 

 it was feared that the drinking of such polluted Avater 

 supply by the local residents might be injurious. He went 

 on to say that it was commonly reported that the same 

 state of affairs existed in all the western rivers from Long- 

 reach to Mackinlay, the disease affecting nearly all species 

 of local fish. Owing to the extent of the waterholes (i.e., 

 the chain of ponds which represent the A^'estern rivers 

 during the dry period of the year), and the great destruction 

 of fish which was taking place, it was found impracticable 

 to keep the water clear of dead fish ; consequently the 

 water supply was in danger of contamination. The letter 

 was eventually forwarded to the Director of the Queens- 

 land Museum. 



In August a note was received at the Museum through 

 the Inspector of Fisheries, Brisbane, from Mr. A. Sugden 

 of the Quilpie pumping station, in connection with the 

 extension of western railway line in Southern Queensland. 

 He stated that various fish, particularly the '" black bream " 

 *and "' jew fish," and, to a less extent, the "" j^ellow 



*Mr. J. D. Ogilby informs mc that the fish mentioned are black bieam 

 = Therajion sp. ; jew hsh= Tandanns fa)idam(S or else Neosilurus hyrtlii, 

 probably both; and the "yellow \>f\\\ " =:Pl€Ctroplitf.s amhiguus. 



