252 LIFE-HISTORY OF NEOCERATODUS FORSTERI 



numerous full-grown Ceratodus live, and these fish spawn, 

 every September ; where are the young fish in such 

 lagoons ? There is no mud, but I suppose those who have 

 advocated the mud theory, regard the debris at the bottom, 

 consisting of rotten leaves, sticks and water weeds, as 

 mud. 



I have endeavoured to find the Uttle fish by scooping 

 out water weeds, mud and debris of every kind both in the 

 river and in the contributory creeks ; I have found young 

 forms of every fish inhabiting the Burnett Avith the 

 exception of Ceratodus. I have tried liming a pool with 

 the intention of suffocating all the fish ; I have dynamited 

 holes, but never was a Ceratodus under six pounds taken. 

 I have had conversations with a good many men, who have, 

 for a Ufe-time, dynamited mullet, and they have all had 

 the same experience in that no Httle " salmon" have 

 been seen. 



With a fishing net having a six inch mesh, that is 

 three inches square, set across a deep lagoon, there is no 

 difiiculty whatever in meshing forms from six to thirty 

 pounds in weight. With a net of three inch mesh, one 

 might reasonably expect to take smaller forms, but 

 although attempts were repeatedly made both by day 

 and night, night being the best for large fish, no success 

 followed. 



Dredging in places, where last year ova were plentiful 

 and even as recently as a month ago, no young fish can 

 be procured although dead ova are to be found. With 

 this experience, I have concluded that there are no young 

 forms at the present time. 



Ceratodus was a common fish all over the world ages 

 ago, but is now restricted to the two rivers in Queens- 

 land, the Mary and the Burnett. 



It is therefore nearing its extinction. There is a 

 weak spot in its "life- history ; this occurs after the little 

 fish leaves the egg, or rather its gelatinous envelope ; it 

 is then a helpless little creature only able to move a few 

 inches at a time and unable to balance itself, lying upon 

 its side at the bottom for hours on a stretch ; it remains 

 in this helpless state for several days, and during this 

 critical period of its life it is preyed upon by the larvae 



