BY J. DOUGLAS OGILBY. 21 



The Bullrout is essentially a brack- and fresh-water fish, 

 never voluntarily visiting the open sea, though occasional 

 examples may be caught near the mouths of the larger rivers, 

 having been carried out by floods, as in the case of the specimen 

 trawled in Shoalhaven Bight by the " Thetis." It is common 

 in brackish creeks and lagunes, living at the bottom among 

 weeds and mud, and readily taking any bait of a suitable size, 

 such as a shrimp or small worm. It is also plentiful in most if 

 not all of our eastern rivers, far up towards their sources 

 having successfully ascended rapids and surmounted other 

 obstacles in their passage. I have not, however, succeeded in 

 obtaining any proof of its breeding under such conditions. The 

 young, of less than an inch long, are frequently swept ashore 

 among the debris of a seine, and are beautiful little objects ; 

 indeed I do not agree with Woods in his remark that " like all 

 the scorpion fish it is very ugly " ; many species of Sebastes, 

 ScorpcBna, etc., are strikingly handsome fishes with beautifully 

 blended colors, while a freshly caught Bullrout, from fairly clean 

 ground and clear water, with its black and gold marmoration 

 contrasting strongly with the deep rich brown of the ground 

 color, is as pretty a fish as one is likely to get in a day's angling. 

 The flesh is excellent. 



With regard to the pain caused by a stab from the cephalic 

 spines of this and the preceding fish, I see no reason to change 

 my previously expressed opinion on the subject.'*' The account 

 given by Woods, and which has unfortunately been reprinted in 

 a recent number of a Brisbane newspaper,! is very highly colored. 



Nor do Waite's remarks help matters much. The canalic- 

 ulation of the spines is no proof of poisonous properties in their 

 possessor, and is common to many fiphes which are above 

 reproach ; so also as to the mucosity. Therefore, I submit that 

 " the truth " of their " possessing poisonous properties " is not 

 " apparent," whatever appearance of truth there may be in Mr. 

 Waite's assertion. Only a few days ago I received a brace of 

 cuts, right and left, from the mandibular teeth of a wretched 

 little sabre-toothed blenny [Aspidontus, sp.), which caured me 

 more pain and subsequent annoyance than any wound from a 

 Centropogon or a Trachifius ever did ; and yet I do not remember 

 having read or heard that these fishes were toxophorous ; and 

 far be it from me to make the accusation. 



* Edib. Fish. N. S. Wales, p. 68. 



t " Queensland Sportsman," January 30, 1903. 



