314 THE GREAT BARRIER REEF 



There are two or three species of gurnards on the 

 reef, all of which breed there, and there is also a sucker- 

 fish, Echoneis reinora apparently, which attaches itself not 

 only to the skin of sharks, but to that of a great number 

 of other fish, as the bonito, rock-cod, and ling, and also to 

 smooth rocks, where they are to be found. 



Probably the smallest fish found on the reef is the 

 remarkable dragon-fish {Pegasus natans)^ which is less 

 than three inches long. When alive, it appears to be 

 semi-transparent, lightish in colour, and spotted with 

 minute black dots. The snout is elongated into a spatulate 

 beak, and the eyes are placed on the top of the head, so 

 that the creature is constantly looking upwards. It 

 frequents shallow water, being but seldom found at a 

 greater depth than six fathoms, and the use of the beak 

 seems to be to stir up the sandy mud. It then watches 

 for and captures the minute crustaceans, etc., which it has 

 forced from their homes. It is very agile in its movements, 

 and swims with great rapidity, and though very numerous, 

 they never collect into compact shoals. 



Another curious fish on the reef is found on the outer 

 face only. It has the snout and mouth of a shark, with 

 the flexible, elongated, but flattened body of an eel, and is 

 five or six feet long. It appears to be a member of the 

 NotocanthidcB or thorn-back family. 



The common conger-eel {Conger vulgaris^ is one of the 

 most abundant fishes on certain parts of the reef, but there 

 is nothing remarkable to be recorded of it. They average 

 five feet in length, but specimens of six or seven feet are 

 common, and the fishermen talk of occasional monsters of 

 nine and ten feet. A creature of the same genus (a muroena, 

 apparently) is much dreaded by the fishers, and with good 

 cause, I think. One which was dragged aboard our boat, 

 though less than five feet long, gave more trouble than the 

 largest conger I have seen captured. It struggled and bit 

 like a fierce dog, making a noise meanwhile something 

 like the snarling of an angry cur. Congers also make a 

 noise while being killed, and some large fish, on being 

 dragged into the boat, give vent to a sound like a dull, 



