5Q 



The most important amon^ these, so far as the market is 

 concerned, are — 



1. Lafes colonorum Brackish-water Perch. 



2. Gadopsis inarmoratiis , . Blacklish. 



3. Avfjuilla Australh . ♦ . , The Common Eel. 



4. Prototrocles jnarcena . . The Freshwater Herring. 



5. JRetropinna Richardsoni . The Smelt or Whitebait. 



6. The various species of ( Jolly-tails and Native 



Galaxias, \ Trout. 



The first three are the only fish attaining any size ; the 

 remainder are small, valued for their quality as food, and in 

 most cases for their wonderful abundance throughout nearly 

 all the rivers and streamlets of Tasmania. 



Lates colonorum. — Is a well known fish in Australian 

 waters, but its distribution in Tasmania is confined, so far 

 as is yet known, to one small river discharging into 

 Anson's Lagoon, in the north-east part of Tasmania. It 

 has more the appearance of a saltwater fish, and indeed, 

 although it is not a sea-going fish, it is most frequently 

 captured in brackish water at the mouth of small streams 

 whose connection with the sea is frequently closed with 

 shifting sand-bars. It is probably in this way that this 

 g^enus had originally become acclimatized to the fresh water. 

 The existence of this fish in Tasmania was only recently 

 made known to the Society through the instrumentality of 

 Mr. John Swan, who states in respect of it, that he had 

 seen, about the end of June, 30 or 40 specimens in the 

 course of two days, weighing from IJ to 3 lbs. each, which 

 were netted by Chinamen. Their stomachs were filled with 

 small fish, which he stated resembled anchovies. The 

 Chinamen cut a slit down the back of the fish, and put 



