210 F I SPIES OF AUSTRALIA. 



THE BLENNIES. 



(Family : Blenniidtz^} 



THE Blennies form a very large family. Most of them are 

 very small and very curious-looking fishes. They are nearly 

 all shore- frequenting fishes; consequently, most of us are 

 quite familiar with the appearance of one or other of them, 

 even if we are not always able to recognise the species to 

 which they belong. They are distributed abundantly in all 

 temperate and tropical seas a few having become adapted 

 for an existence in fresh-water. Although they may be 

 quite properly termed "a family of Gullivers" there are 

 amongst them a few "Brobdingnagians." The greatest of 

 these is the ferocious Wolf- Fish (Anarrhichas lupus}, called 

 also the "Sea-Wolf" or "Sea-Cat." This gigantic Blenny 

 grows to a length of more than 6 feet and inhabits the 

 northern seas of Europe. 



Amongst the Australian Blennies, there is one of con- 

 siderable economic importance. This is the so-called 

 "Slippery" or River Blackfish (Gadopsis marmoratus] , 

 also known occasionally as the "Marbled River-Cod. ;r 

 Others that are worthy of mention are: the Joey (Lepi- 

 doblennius geminatus), the Oyster Blenny (P,etroscirtes 

 anolis), the Crested Weed - Fish (Cmsticeps macleayi) 

 the Red -Indian Fish (Pat&cus fronto) and the Hair- 

 tailed Blenny (Xiphasiasetifer). 



The River Blackfish is, as its name implies, a fluvia- 

 tile fish ; being found abundantly in parts of Tasmania, Vic- 

 toria, South Australia and New South Wales. I mention 

 Tasmania and Victoria first, because they appear to be the 

 principal home of this species. It is also one of the giant 

 Blennies (though not nearly so large as that previously 

 mentioned), attaining a length of more than 24 inches. At 

 the same time, the average of those caught is not much 

 more than half that size. 



In country parts, this species is looked upon as being 

 of considerable value as an edible fish; and as a sporting 

 fish, it is of no mean order, taking the bait readily and 

 "showing fight." Like many fresh-water fishes it is car- 



