ii8 



steering organs. The head and teeth resemble those of the 

 Barracoutas {Sphyraenidce), from which, however, they may 

 at once be distinguished by the continuous dorsal fin, which 

 in the Barracouta is di\-ided into two small fins far apart from 

 each other. The elongate body, however, though more com- 

 pressed, is a point of resemblance to the Barracouta, and the 

 early settlers in New Zealand gave it this name, by which it is 

 still known there, as well as in Tasmania and Australia, where 

 it was subsequently found. It is interesting to note, as throw- 

 ing a sidelight on prehistoric conditions, that, whilst the 

 aboriginals of South Africa do not seem to have caught the 

 fish, nor even to have had a name for it, the Maoris of New- 

 Zealand — who called it the Manga or Maka — used it extensively. 

 It provided the sole fish supply of the early Otago settlers. 



The Snoek is so familiar to South Africans that a description 

 may seem superfluous ; but such are the vagaries of popular 

 nomenclature that at Natal, where the fish does not occur, 

 another and entirely different fish is known under this name, 

 viz.. Cyhium commersonii belonging to the Mackerel family and 

 known in Australia as the Giant Mackerel or King-fish. 



The body of the Snoek is long (about 8 times its height) and 

 of a dark metallic colour. Its dorsal fin consists of 20 sharp 

 spines, which can be folded in a groove so that they are not 

 seen ; this is continued into a rather short non-spinous part 

 which is not depressible. Behind this soft dorsal there are 

 small separate finlets, six in number. The tail fin is distinct 

 and separate from the dorsal. Not only are the jaws provided 

 with strong teeth, but the palate also. The scales are minute 



The Snoek, as might be supposed from its general appearance, 

 is capable of rapid and sustained motion, and is a migratory 

 fish, appearing and disappearing at more or less definite 

 intervals during the year. In former years, when Snoek were 

 very abundant, the fishermen were " signed on " for 8 months 

 from the 17th of September in each year, for the " poor Snoek " 

 season. The " poor " or lean Snoek were so called because 

 they had little or no fat, though the ovaries were well developed 

 only in these kinds ; this " poor Snoek " season lasted until 

 December, when a few fat Snoek began to be caught among 

 them. The fat Snoek season lasted from January to June, 

 during which period they were caught in immense numbers ; 

 about the beginning of July the difference in condition and 

 abundance became very marked. This annual movement of 

 the Snoek is generally supposed to be connected with that of 

 the " Sardine " {Chi pea sagax), on which they largely feed ; 

 the appearance of these small fish on the coast is regarded 

 as a sign that Snoek will soon turn up, and the latter are usually 



