Fismcs -wAiTii:. 71 



Family CAR.INGID^. 



SERIOLA, Cuvier. 



SERIOLA LALANDII, Cuvier & Valenciennes. 



King Fish. 



Seriola lalandii, Cuv. & Val., Hist. Nat. Poiss., i\., 1833, p. 208. 

 McCoy, Prod. Zool. Vict,, Dec. xviii., 1889, pi. clxxii. 



This tine fish was freely taken by the line off Seal Rocks, and 

 afforded good sport to such members of the expedition as were not 

 at the time engaged in repairing the trawl. 



The interest of fishing and of net-mending was, however, greatly 

 eclipsed by the excitement aroused in watching the seals (Otaria 

 forsteri) to the number of one hundred or more. As the "Thetis" 

 steamed close up to the rock, the movements of these animals as 

 they fought with one another or otherwise disported themselves, 

 were followed with the keenest interest. 



SERIOLA HIPPOS, Gunther. 



Samson Fish. 



(Plate ix.) 



Seriola hippos, Giinth., Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., (4), xvii., 1876, 

 p. 392. Ogil., Edible Fishes, N.S.W., 1893, p. 85. 



Riding at anchor on March 1st, in Port Stephens, where we 

 had been driven by stress of weather, we were entertained for 

 some time by a herd of Seriola hippos. The fishes raced around 

 the " Thetis," sometimes within arm's length, and "jumped clear 

 out of the water apparently with keen enjoyment. They reminded 

 me very much of Dolphins (Belphinus). 



So favoured were our opportunities for observing them that 

 there could be no doubt as to the species, they being readily 

 distinguishable from their nearest ally of our waters, -s'. lalandii. 

 On returning from my cabin, whither I had gone for a gun, the 

 shoal had disappeared, but was afterwards seen a few hundred 

 yards away. 



S. hippos has, as far as known, a very restricted distribution, 

 and the present record extends the range considerably to the 

 northward. 



