CHAPTER VIII 

 AUSTRALIAN FISHES (continued} 



Now I must mention the sea-fish of Australia, and 

 describe how they are caught. 



A generation ago sea-angling was a neglected 

 and even a despised art, but now in the estimation 

 of Australians (who excel in it) it is perhaps 

 second only to horse-racing. As a rule it is 

 specialised that is to say, a man exclusively 

 pursues one kind of fish, and is seldom an all- 

 round angler. 1 



First in importance comes the schnapper, a large 

 red sea-bream, abundant all along the southern 

 coasts of Australia (very seldom north of latitude 

 2 1 S.), also in New Zealand, but not in Tasmanian, 

 waters. 



The sides and back of the schnapper are bright 



1 The Victorian tunny, proved to be identical with the 

 Mediterranean, and erroneously called the bonito by 

 Australian fishermen, is a fine large sea fish, whose flesh 

 might be more utilised than it is. 



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