82 " THETIS " SCIENTIFIC RESULTS. 



FamUij SPAKID^. 



SPAROSOMUS, Gill. 



SPAROSOMUS AURATUS, Block & Schneider. 



SCHNAPPER. 



Lahrxis aurnins, Bloch & Schneider, Sysfc. Ichth., ISOl, p. 266. 

 Pagrus unicolor, Tenison Woods, Fish and Fisheries N.S.W,, 

 1882, p. 39, pi. viii. and frontispiece. 



Stations 1, 2, 8, 12, 15, 21, 23, 29, 33, 52, 53. 



Judging by the inquiries made as we on the several occasions 

 entered port, a stranger might have thought that there was only 

 one fish in our waters, and that the Schnapper. We were by no 

 means anxious to obtain this fish, for its advent was a tolerable 

 indication that we were in the vicinity of I'ocks, objects of all 

 others to be avoided in trawling. At four out of the above eleven 

 Stations the net was badly torn, and at several of the other 

 Stations, where the damage was less severe, the numbers of Sponges, 

 Gorgonias, and other rock-frequenting forms sufiiciently indicated 

 the nature of the obstruction encountered. Occasionally, 

 Schnapper were obtained on ideal trawling-ground. It was, how- 

 ever, then significant that not more than one or two individuals 

 were netted. 



The circumstance of Red Bream (young Schnapper) of 2 lb. 

 weight in full breeding condition was considered to be of great 

 interest and considerable importance. Taking into account the 

 number of small Schnapper secured in such mature condition, we 

 can scarcely believe that this phase of Schnapper life is unknown 

 to fishermen. 



CHRYSOPHRYS, Cuvier. 



CHRYSOPHRYS AUSTRALIS, Gilnther. 



Black Bream. 



Cliryftophrys aut^tralis, Giinth., Cat. Fish. Brit. Mus., i., 1859, 

 p. 494. McCoy, Prod. Zool. Vict., Dec. i., 1878, pi. iv. 



Considering tlio coniparativoly large num])ei' of Stations at 

 which the Sclinapper was secured, one might ha\'e expected that 



