133 



127. Clupea sprattus, L. (E.) The Sprat* 



B. 6 - 7. D. 15 - 18. A. 17 - 20. V. 7. L. lat. 47 - 48. 



Vert. 47 - 49. 

 Gunth. Cat., VII., p. 419. Proc. Zool. Soc, 1871, p. 672. 

 Allp. MS. Macl. Cat., 899. 

 Large shoals of these fish are observed by the fishermen to 

 pass along the coasts at certain seasons, attended usually 

 by their rapacious enemies, the Barracouta and Kingfish. 

 Small numbers ascend the Tamar as far as Launceston 

 during March each year. Sometimes the main body 

 mistakes its course, as in 1844, when the Sprats entered 

 the Derwent in immense numbers. The late Mr. Calder 

 gave a description of an immense shoal which had 

 been driven ashore and suffocated, in Simmons' Cove, 

 Bruni Island, in 1867 (Proc. Roy. Soc. Tas., May, 1867). 

 In speaking of the mass of fish thus destroyed at one 

 time, he estimated that there was not less than three 

 hundred tons, which he reckoned would amount to forty- 

 three million eight thousand individual fishes. Dr. 

 Gunther, in quoting this instance, urges that " attempts 

 ought to be made to utilise the Tasmanian Anchovy and 

 Sprat in the same way as it is done in Europe." The 

 Sprat does not seem to visit the Australian coasts. 



128. Clupea sag ax, Jenyns. The Pilchard. (A.) 



B. 7. D. 18. A. 18 - 19. L. lat. 50 - 54. L. tr. 13. 

 A series of more or less distinct blackish spots along the side. 



Gunth. Cat., VII., p. 443. Allp. MS. Macl. Cat., 890. 

 Not so common as the sprat. Tasmania (Allport). 



Fam. XXXVII. SYMBRANCHIDiE. 



129. Chilobranchus dorsalis, Rich. (A.) 



Paired fins none. Vertical fins rudimentary. Colour black- 

 ish brown, with a median dorsal line. 

 Gunth. Cat., VII., p. 18. Allp. MS. Macl. Cat., 908. 

 Tasmanian specimens 90 mil. long. (Gunn and Gunther.) 



130. Chilobranchus rufus, Macleay. (A.) 



Colour red, with six or seven blue or dark purple spots along 

 each side. Length three inches. 



Macl. Cat., 909. Tasmania (Macleay). 



Fam. XXXVin. MUR^NIDiE. 



181. Anguilla Australis, Rich. (A.) Tlie ComiTwn Eel** 

 Dorsal fin begins at a short distance in advance of anal. 



Giinth. Cat. VIIL, p. 36. Allp. MS. Macl. Cat., 913. 

 Abundant in all rivers. Reaches to an immense size in the 

 South Esk River. 



182. Conger vulgaris, Cuv. The Common Congei^ Eel^* 

 Dorsal fin begins nearly opposite to extremity of pectoral fin. 



Gunth. Cat., VIIL, p. 38. Allp. MS. Macl. Cat., 913. 

 Brought to Hobart market in considerable quantities. 



