EDIBLE THOUGH HORRIFIC. 29 
THE BEAKED SALMON. 
Beaked Salmon (Gonorhynchus gonorhynchus). 
Not a very common New South Wales fish, although 
occurring more frequently than has hitherto been imagined. 
Found in sandy localities, and attaining a length of 18 to 20 
inches. The body is elongate and cylindrical. The mouth 
is beneath the curious pointed snout, and the eye is large. 
CATFISHES. 
Estuary Catfish (Cnidoglanis megastomus). 
Puate VII. 
This curious and ugly, somewhat eel-like fish, is very 
common in the estuaries, harbors, and coastal lakes all along 
the coast of New South Wales, abounding. principally in 
muddy localities, and attaining a length of about 3 feet. At 
the back and sides of the head (connected with the dorsal 
and pectoral fins) are fearful serrated spines, which these 
creatures know well how to use; and wounds caused by these 
are exceedingly painful. The capacity of the Estuary Cat- 
fish to produce these wounds, coupled with its ugly appearance, 
has contrived to bring about a feeling of disgust in most 
people, and by most fishermen it is looked upon as a pest, 
little better than the troublesome Stingrays. Still, notwith- 
standing this, the fish is an edible species of no mean order, 
the flesh being white and of good flavor. For the table it 
should be boiled, and the skin removed—the head portion 
being previously cut off. 
In life, the colors of this species are rather attractive, ' 
the whole of the body being curiously mottled with greyish’ 
and brownish tints. A short time after death, however, the: 
skin usually assumes a dirty brown or blackish tint, not at 
all pleasant to look upon. 
