118 THE EDIBLE FISHES OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 
people would not look at them. Those captured, particularly 
those of a larger size, are principally taken by hook and line. 
The young are very commonly taken by the fishermen in the 
estuaries, when hauling their nets for other species. The pro- 
fessional fisherman, it may be added, cordially detests leather- 
jackets of whatever species, as they become entangled in the 
meshes of the net by the large dorsal spine, thereby causing 
considerable waste of time and labor in extricating them. 
The Yellow Leatherjacket may grow to a length of as 
much as 2 feet, but examples of half that length would be 
nearer the average of those captured. 
Orange-spotied Leatherjacket (Monacanthus hippocrepis). 
This large and handsome species is essentially an outside 
fish, and is captured by line in the vicinity of reefs and rocky 
shores. It is a fairly large fish, attaining a length of about 
18 inches, and is useful as a food-fish, though not nearly so 
important as the Yellow Leatherjacket. 
I described the colors of this beautiful fish in “ Fishes 
of Australia,’ and may, perhaps, again refer to them here. 
When alive it possesses the most lovely tints, the upper or 
dorsal surface being of an olive-green or yellowish-green, and 
shading into a lighter tint below. On the middle of each 
side is a large, irregular blotch, of a bright orange color, 
within which a horseshoe-shaped band is sometimes present. 
The lips are surrounded by two or three dull, blue, yellow- 
edged bands, and the sides of the abdomen with narrow 
waving bands of an intense blue. 
River Leatherjacket (Monacanthus trachylepis). 
While the two previously mentioned species are denizens 
of the lower portions of the harbors and the outside grounds, 
the River Leatherjacket is to be found abundantly all the 
year round in the higher parts of our estuarine and harbor 
waters as well as in the coastal lakes. At the same time, 
and whether they remain there for any length of time or not, 
there is no doubt that the adults appear in our ocean waters 
at times (in the warmer months) in vast numbers. 
