126 SAPROLEGNIA EFIDEMIC. 



bellies," or " golden perch,"" were affected in the Bulloo 

 River by a disease which appeared to cause death by 

 suffocation, and that quantities of dead fish were to be 

 seen floating on the surface of the waterholes, giving rise 

 to anxiety on the part of those persons who were com- 

 pelled to use such water supply. He further mentioned 

 that it was reported that the fish in Cooper's Creek were 

 similarly affected, and that wild pigs were fattening on them. 

 The disease was not observed at Cheepie, in the Beechel 

 Creek, a tributary of the Paroo River. A fresh-water 

 catfish or jew fish (identified by Mr. Ogilby was Neosilurus 

 hyrtlii Steind.) was sent down bj' Mr. Sugden to the 

 Museum and was referred to me. On examination, it was 

 found to be heavily parasitised by the fungus Saprolegnia. 



A conversation with IVIr. Mills, who saw the specimen, 

 convinced me of the identity of the cause of the outbreak 

 in the two localities. Dr. J. 8. C. Elkington, Federal 

 Quarantine Officer for this State, informed me that he had 

 observed numbers of dead perch and catfish* floating down 

 the Brisbane River in the vicinity of the city during 

 August and part of September of this year (1917). 



From the above it will be noted that the epidemic 

 had a verj- wide distribution during the late -ndnter, extend- 

 ing over practicall}- the whole of western Queensland and 

 occurring in the south eastern corner of the State also. It 

 involved rivers belonging to the inland drainage system, at 

 least one flowing into the Gulf of Carpentaria and one into 

 the Pacific. The affected area must have comprised 

 many thousands of square miles. 



On receiving m}' identification of the malady, the late 

 Director, Dr. R. Hamlyn-Harris, wrote to the Southern 

 States for information. In reply, Mr. E. Harkness, of the 

 Fisheries Department, New South Wales, forwarded a copy 

 of an article by Brotherstonf as well as notes on one by 

 Daj^J, and mentioned that one of his officers who had spent 

 man}' years in Queensland, .stated that over twenty-five 

 years ago " yellow-bellied perch " were dying in large 



*Mi-. Ogilby -states that this perch is Scicena auslralis Gunther, and the 

 cat fish are Tandamis tandantis and Neosilurus hyrtlii. 



t A. Brotheiston." .Salmon disease " in Herbert's " Fish and Fisheries." 

 X Day. Salmonidse of Britain. 



