EDIBLE FISHES OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 21 



maxilla reaching to beneath the posterior third of the orbit. Preorbital 

 obsoletelv serrated anteriorly : preopercle finely serrated on both limbs : 

 opercle with two small blunt spines. Jaws with a broad band of villiform 

 teeth anteriorly, abruptly narrowing on the sides ; vomer with a cordiform 

 patch ; bands on the palatines lanceolate. The dorsal commences above 

 the eighth or ninth scale of the lateral line ; its spines are feeble, the 

 fourth the longest, its height from 1*75-2'10 in the length of the head, 

 and longer than any of the rays ; the length of the base of the spinous 

 dorsal is from 1'60-L'80 in that of the soft : the anal commences beneath 

 the eighth or ninth dorsal ray, and ends on the same plane as the dorsal ; 

 the third spine is the longest, from 3"50— I'OO in the length of the head ; 

 the outer margin of the rayed portion is emarginate, owing to the elonga- 

 tion of the last rays : in large examples the ventrals extend midway 

 or less than midway to the vent, but in examples under eight inches 

 in length more than midway ; their length is from 1'50-1'70 in that 

 of the head : pectorals a little smaller than the ventrals, from l'G0-l"75 

 in the same: caudal deeply forked, the least height of its pedicle seven ninths 

 of the distance between the last dorsal ray and the origin of the caudal, 

 and 3"25-3'o0 in the height of the body. Upper surface of head and the 

 orbital ring naked ; a series of five scales on the hinder half of the maxilla ; 

 cheek scales in five series ; both spinous and soft portions of the dorsal and 

 anal fins with a deep scaly sheath. Latei'al line following the curvature 

 of the back during its entire length. 



Colors. — Upper surfaces green, the head the darkest : young e.^amples 

 with darker spots : lower surfaces white : fins hyaline. 



Common as the Salmon is along the greater part of the coast line of ISTew 

 South Wales!, but little is known as to where or when it breeds ; as to the 

 latter Tenison AVoods remarks : — " It is said to commence to spawn in 

 September on the east coast " ; this being taken from Glover's evidence 

 before the Eoyal Commission which refers to the Twofold Bay District ; at 

 Port Macquarie and the Clarence Heads the spawning season is respectively 

 given as November and October. As small fry are frequently washed ashore on 

 the ocean beaches after heavy weather it is possible that the spawn is buried 

 in the sand in suitable places. 



During the warmer months of the year Salmon make their appearance 

 along our shores in shoals of marvellous magnitude, and are taken in very 

 large numbers by the seine, not unfrequently causing a glut in the market ; 

 at such times the writer has seen fine fresh fishes of from t^venty to thirty 

 inches long, and weighing from six to eight pounds each, sold at the rate of 

 two shillings per dozen, while many are given away to the poorer classes, no 

 other possible means of getting rid of them being available. They take a 

 bait freely and are frequently caught off the ocean beaches among the 

 breakers, and Sherrin states that in New Zealand they afford good sport to 

 anglers, as they rise to an artificial fly and are readily taken at sea with 

 spoon bait. 



Halfgrown examples are called " Salmon Trout " and are by no means to 

 be despised for the table, but the adult fish is dry and rather tasteless, never- 

 theless from their size and abundance they are of considerable commercial 

 value ; Sherrin considers it " a fairly good fish for preserving in tins." Care 

 should be taken to choose only the freshest fishes, as decomposition sets in 

 very rapidly, and many cases of fish poisoning, some of them even resulting 

 in death, are said to have been traced to this source. McCoy, however, it 

 must in justice be said, does not agree with the above theory, stating that he 



