38 FISHES OF AUSTRALIA. 



This species has a very extended geographical distri- 

 bution, being found in New South Wales, Tasmania, West 

 Australia, New Zealand, Japan and South Africa. Pro- 

 bably, also, it will be found to occur along the whole of the 

 southern seaboard of Australia. On the New South Wales 

 coast it is not often obtained, but appears to be more 

 common in Tasmania; while in parts of New Zealand, where 

 it is common, it is recognised as a food-fish; being known 

 by the altogether inappropriate name of "Sand-Eel." 



It attains a length of 18 to 20 inches. 



THE CAEP FAMILY. 



( Family : Cyprinidce . ) 



THOUGH there is no indigenous member of this family of 

 fishes occurring in Australian waters, certain introduced 

 forms are common enough. Of these, the most important, 

 numerically, is the Goldfish or Golden Carp (Caras- 

 sius -auratus). This species swarms in aquaria and 

 ponds ornamental and otherwise in most of the cities and 

 towns of the Australian Commonwealth ; and, in addition, 

 is found in nearly all of the rivers, both coastal and inland ; 

 as well as the smallest creeks and settlers' tanks in most 

 unheard-of places. It is almost as ubiquitous as the Sparrow 

 is on the land. Its ready adaptability, enables it to put up 

 with great extremes of temperature and to live in water 

 that would suffocate many fishes. There are two well- 

 marked color-varieties of this species, the one being the well- 

 known beautiful golden-yellow from which the name of 

 Goldfish has been derived, while the other is of a silvery hue. 

 Outside of ornamental ponds, the latter is the more common 

 form. Carassius auratus is a native of China and Japan; 

 but, having been so easily domesticated and transported, it 

 is now to be met with in all tropical and temperate climes, 

 as well as in many of the colder countries. 



Amongst the many curious varieties of this fish which 

 have been developed under artificial cultivation may be men- 



