83 



greater thickness, the much larger eyes, and the fewer 

 detached finlets on the tail (two), — the Barracouta having 

 usually six behind the dorsal and anal. They do not 

 approach the surface during the day time. They are 

 always captured during the night, at varying depths from 

 the surface to ten fathoms deep — the bait usually being 

 horse-mackerel or barracouta. 



The jaws of the Kingfish are also ver}^ formidably armed 

 with strong, long teeth, and they are so voracious that the 

 fishermen are obliged to use strong barbless hooks which 

 are immediately attached to an iron chain and swivel. 

 Even this strong line has been at times insufficient for these 

 powei-ful flsli : recently a large individual was captured, 

 which, when its stomach was opened, disclosed a chain, 

 swivel, and hook, which it must have swallowed some time 

 previous to capture. At the time when it was taken it 

 appeared to be a sti-ong, healtliy fish. The Kingfishes do 

 not appear during each season in equal numbers. A few 

 years ago they were to be found entering the bays and inlets 

 towards the mouth of the Derwent in such vast numbers 

 that they were stranded by tons on the long shallow sandy 

 beaches. At such times immense numbers wore taken and 

 sold for manure to hop-planters and others. Recently they 

 have not appeared in such numbers, but no satisfactory 

 reason can as yet be assigned for the irregularity of their 

 appearance in this respect. Some reason has been advanced 

 to show that they follow the main body of the Horse- 

 mackerel, which approaches our shores from the south- 

 west, going in a northerly direction. When these shoals 

 of Horse-mackerel are in greatest abundance they are 

 followed by the Kingfish and other enemies in corres- 

 ponding numbers. Their migratory movements, when better 

 understood, may explain the irregularities which are for the 

 present inexplicable. The Kingfish, although it averages 

 from 12 to 14 lbs. weight, sometimes reaches a weight of 

 20 lbs. The usual price in the market is 5.s. per dozen. 

 When abundant they are largely exported. 



Professor M'Coy has described another species, termed 

 by him also " The Tasmanian Kingfish" f 7'. micropm.) It 

 must be extremely rare, however, for I have never seen a 

 specimen, and so far as our local fishermen observe, they 

 are not aware of a second species of Kingfish. 



ScOMBRIDiE. 



The family has been divided by some authors into two, 

 under the names Nomeidcc and Cijttidw. It includes the 

 following fishes : — 



