52 FISHES OF AUSTRALIA. 



Tasmania, where it is common, it is known under a multi- 

 plicity of names, but chiefly as "Herring" and "Cucumber 

 Mullet." (Of course, there is not much of either Herring 

 or Mullet about it.) It is considered to be the finest and 

 the most delicious of the indigenous fresh-water fishes of 

 that State. It is not found in anything like the abundance 

 with which it used to occur in some of the Tasmanian rivers ; 

 a fact which is ascribed by authorities to various causes. 

 (Perhaps the introduced Trout, which appear to thrive so 

 well in those waters, could tell us something about it.) This 

 species also occurs in some abundance, in a few of the Vic- 

 torian rivers ; and at one time, apparently, was common in 

 the Yarra Yarra. With reference to this, McCoy wrote 

 some years ago: "The Yarra Yarra and some others of the 

 rivers near the southern coast, contain in great abundance, a 



Fig. 17. AUSTRALIAN GRAYLING (I'rototroctcs marcuna). 



beautiful and active fish ; excellent for the table, and 

 affording capital sport for the angler. By ichthyologists 

 following the classification of Cuvier, it would be referred 

 to the Salmonidse, the adipose second dorsal fin being well 

 marked ; and so much does it resemble the Grayling* in the 

 cucumber smell when caught, in general appearance, habits, 

 mode of rising to the fly, and playing, as well as in flavour, 

 that anglers are in the habit of calling it now the Australian 

 Grayling." The close resemblance of this fish to the true 

 Salmonidce, both in food and habits, assisted the Acclima- 

 tisation Society of Victoria some years ago, in their argu- 

 ment that certain of the rivers would serve for the experi- 

 ment of acclimatising European Salmon and Trout ; and 



* That is, the European Grayling (Thymallus vulgari-s). 



