184 Prof. M'Coy on the Recent Zoology 



small lamprey is not uncommon in the Murray, atid another 

 {Mordacia) in the Saltwater River. 



Of bony fish there are numerous genera and species ; of these 

 I need only now advert to a few used for food or otherwise in- 

 teresting. Of the Percidse one of the very best table fish is the 

 hates colonorum, or " Gippsland perch," which has appeared of 

 late years in the market. Also of this family is our most 

 gigantic river-fish, the "Murray cod-perch^' [Oligorus macqua- 

 riensis), which is often thi'ee feet long and upwards of twenty 

 pounds weight ; it is perhaps the most commonly seen at table 

 of all the Victorian fish, although not at all the best ; it is now 

 brought to the Melbourne markets in great numbers by the 

 railway. The next example is the most abundant and cheapest 

 of the marine fish, never seen at the best tables, but used veiy 

 extensively as food by the poorer people. It has the reputation 

 of very frequently causing, even when perfectly fresh, the most 

 violent symptoms of fish-poisoning, accompanied by a peculiar 

 redness of the face and great suffering, sometimes ending in 

 death — although so irregular in its action that other persons 

 eating of the same fish have experienced no ill effects. It is the 

 Arripis georgimms, and is called by the fishermen " salmon " 

 when old and of a uniform olive tint, and " salmon trout " in 

 the younger spotted stage of growth. I have no doubt the 

 Centropristis georgianus (C. & V.), C. salar (Rich.), C. truttaceus 

 (C. &V.), and Perca marginata (C. & V.) are all synonyms 

 of this one common species. An excellent river-fish of this 

 family is the Dules ambiguus of the Murray; it is popularly 

 known as the " Murray golden perch," or sometimes " Murray 

 golden carp," and far exceeds in general estimation any of the 

 other freshwater fish for the table. Of the Pristipomatidse the 

 Murray River affords an excellent table fish, the Therapon ellip- 

 ticus, known in the market and to the colonists generally as the 

 '' Murray silver perch," and it is now brought to Melbourne in 

 great numbers by railway. 



Amongst the mullets {Mullulce) we have a representative of 

 the European red mullet, forming an equally delicious delicacy 

 when cooked in the same way ; it is the Australian red mullet, 

 the UpeneicJdlnjs porosus, which, like its home representative, 

 is only occasionally found, and must be considered a rarity. 

 The family Sparidse affords the most important fish for the table 

 found in the Victorian seas, when we take its size (occasionally 

 reaching twenty pounds weight), abundance, and excellence to- 

 gether into account ; it is the Pagrus unicolor, or " snapper " of 

 the colonists : and to this family also belongs one of the most 

 popular fishes with the anglers in the mouths of the rivers near 

 Melbourne, as giving good sport and forming an agreeable ad- 



