THE fEWFlSH FAMILY. 113 



THE JEWFIS3 FAMILY 



( Family : Scicenidte. ) 



THREE important species of Australian food-fishes are 

 included in this family, they being the Jewfish (Sticena 

 antarctica), tlu- Teragiin (Cynoscion atelodns), and the 

 Salmon (Arripis trutta). About 150 species of the family 

 are found in various parts of the world, and they are mostly 

 marine. Nearly all are of economic value, some being 

 highly valuable. They are usually found on sandy shores 

 in fairly shallow water. None of the species occur in very 

 deep water. Many of them reach a very large size. They 

 all, including the Australian species, subsist on animal food. 

 Most of the Sclfenidcr make peculiar noises, variously 

 termed croaking, grunting, drumming, or snoring. Our own 

 Jewfish is known to make a grunting sound. From this 

 habit the whole family in America are known as "Grunters." 

 The sound is supposed to be produced by the forced passage 

 of air from one portion of the air- or swim-bladder to an- 

 other. In these fishes the air-bladder is usually large and 

 complicated, and provided with more or less numerous ap- 

 pendages. This air-bladder in the larger species like our 

 Jewfish is greatly used for the manufacture of isinglass. 

 One of the American species is responsible for making such 

 a loud noise that it has earned the popular name of "Drum."' 

 The males drum the loudest, while the females' ''voices'' are 

 softer. The drumming is particularly noticeable in the 

 breeding season. 



The Jewfish is a voracious and powerful fish, attaining 

 commonly a weight of from 60 pounds to 70 pounds, with 

 a length of about 5 feet, though the weight of those princi- 

 pally brought to market runs from about 20 pounds to 30 

 pounds. It is common at all times along most of the eastern, 

 and a portion of the southern, coastline of Australia, being 

 particularly abundant on the New South Wales coast. It 

 is also known from Western Australia. It inhabits 

 the estuaries and harbours, and also the coastal 

 beaches particularly in the vicinity of lake-entrances. 

 In some cases it ascends some of our coastal rivers 

 right up into the fresh water. At certain times large 



