116 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



baskets for carriage, deduct lo per cent, from what the sales 

 realize, returning to the fishermen the balance, out of which he 

 pays the freight to Melbourne. The fishermen, with very few 

 exceptions, are quite contented with their results. Then, again, 

 there is not the enormous destruction of fish as is supposed. Out 

 of 121,169 basketfuls last year, only 3 per cent, were destroyed. 

 Even this may be obviated by the better and more expeditious 

 transit to the metropolis by means of the proposed refrigerating 

 cars, and when ice-chambers are constructed in the new fish 

 market now under consideration. It has also been mooted that 

 the fishermen themselves might improve the mode of transit at a 

 very trifling cost by erecting a small refrigerating plant near their 

 fishing grounds — say, for instance, at Hastings, Paynesville, &c. A 

 hundredweight of ice properly distributed would keep fresh eight 

 or ten baskets for a lengthened period, as is illustrated by the 

 conveyance of schnapper received by rail from Adelaide with 

 remnants of ice still undissolved. 



Well, then, to ensure cheap fish, there must be a greater supply 

 and more regular consignments. Even on a good market morn- 

 ing, what are 700 baskets of fish to a population like that of 

 Melbourne and suburbs, not to mention provincial towns? If 

 there were a greater and more certain demand for fish created 

 amongst all classes of consumers, no doubt there would be a cor- 

 responding expansion of our fisheries and a greater supply, and 

 consequently cheaper food of the most beneficial kind. 



The colony at large is indebted to the Hon. J. B. Patterson, as 

 Minister of Trade and Customs, for the great energy and fore- 

 sight he has displayed to improve our fish supply — not only by 

 instituting trawling, but by following it up in recommending the 

 Government to give ^2,000 in bonuses to encourage deep-sea 

 fishing in our waters. It may be here mentioned that the first 

 trawling experiment was initiated by the Hon. George Coppin 

 about 25 years ago, when the trawl was destroyed by a rocky 

 bottom in the Straits, as was the case with the Lady Loch's first 

 attempt. 



To conclude. In addition to my personal observations, for 

 valuable information regarding the localities, habits, &c., of the 

 various fish herein mentioned, I have to thank Captain Anderson, 

 Chief Inspector of Fisheries, and Mr. John Lewis, Inspector 

 of the Fish Market, and ex-officio Assistant Inspector of Fisheries. 

 My thanks are also due to Mr. P. N. Jenkins, Swanston-street, for 

 his thoughtfulness in sending the specimens exhibited to-night, 

 thus rendering my paper more attractive. 



