130 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



friend was back in his saddle, and while attempting to scramble 

 into position the saddle, slowly at first, but surely, slipped round, 

 with the result that the collecter, who was also encumbered with 

 a large botanical portfolio slung around his neck, was soon 

 sprawling upon the ground. But he did not let go the lizard. 

 The reptile, too, must have been anxious for its own safety, 

 for it had managed to get a grip of the reins and it held them Hke 

 a vice, so that the horse stopped and looked on, wondering, 

 perhaps, what was the matter. 



The Blackfish. — Some interesting notes on the habits of the 

 Blackfish, Gadopsis gracilis, McCoy, appear in the Austrcdasian 

 of 25th November, which, though written from an angling point 

 of view, are worthy of attention, and possibly criticism, especially 

 by country naturalists. Blackfish can almost be claimed as purely 

 Victorian fish, and even here are nearly confined to the southern 

 streams. The only other habitat of the genus is Northern 

 Tasmania. Professor McCoy recognizes three species, and 

 remarks, in " The Prodromus of Victorian Zoology," vol. i., p. 39, 

 that the coloiir is very variable, in some specimens being of 

 a light olive-green, becoming yellowish-white towards the belly, 

 while the sides, back, and fins are marbled with distinct irregular 

 patches of dark brown ; whereas in other specim.ens the dark 

 brown spots are more numerous, and extend over the belly as 

 well as the head, tail, and fins. The writer of the article is of 

 opinion that the colour of the fish is generally due to the condi- 

 tion of the water in which it is found, and states that he once 

 caught Blackfish, after a heavy rain, in a creek with clayey banks, 

 when the water was thick with clay, and that the fish were as 

 yellow as the water — in fact, had it not been for their general 

 appearance they would not have been recognised as Blackfish ; 

 however, after being dead some hours and washed and cleaned, 

 they became almost the colour of ordinary Blackfish. Specimens 

 obtained in clear water, amongst rocks, are of a beautiful deep 

 purply black, which he regards as the normal colour. On 

 another occasion some fish were obtained out of holes in a creek 

 which was not running — the water was quite black, owing to the 

 leaves of the overhanging trees which had fallen into it and 

 decayed ; the fish taken were as black as ink, but, like the yellow 

 ones, after being washed and cleaned they assumed the natural 

 colour. Large Blackfish are undoubtedly scarce, owing to the 

 many enemies they now have to encounter, and are only to be 

 found in the upper reaches of the streams in the most unfre- 

 quented portions of the colony. In the early days of Melbourne 

 fish of 6 lbs. to 8 lbs. in weight were of common occurrence, but 

 one hears of such fish but seldom now. One was taken in the 

 Cockatoo Creek, near Seville, in January last, which weighed 

 7^ lbs., and it is on record that some twenty years ago a fish was 



