58 NEW SOUTH WALES 
The “ white trevally” is very abundant at times in the harbours and inlets of 
the coast, but generally in a young state. The adult fish is large,, and appears in 
summer in very ‘large shoals. The place of spawning is unknown. It is not 
much esteemed as a food fish. 
The ‘‘king-fish” is about the most voracious and destructive of all the pre- 
daceous fishes of these seas. It grows to a large size, congregates in enormous 
shoals, and habitually pursues and destroys the shoals of other fish at all smaller 
than itself. It is not considered in its fresh state a very good fish, but when 
corned it is esteemed by some a great delicacy. 
Of the ‘‘Samson-fish” very little has been observed. It is a large and handsome 
fish, affords good sport to the amateur fisherman, and is not much valued as food. 
The “tailor” is well-known in Port Jackson. The young fish are constantly 
making their appearance in shoals in the summer season, and are taken in the 
seines in great numbers ; they are much in demand for bait, but are not a favourite 
_ catch for the fishermen, as they are most destructive to the nets. The adult fish 
are large, and are known in the Melbourne market by the name of ‘‘ i steal 
They school in midsummer, move in enormous shoals, and are said to be most 
destructive to the young and spawn of other fishes. As an article of food they are 
not in much request, but when fresh there are few more delicate and well-tasted 
fish.—R.R.C. 
A short description of some of these species is here given. Caranz 
and Trachurus are now included in one genus by Giinther. 
The body is compressed or nearly cylindrical, cleft of mouth moder- 
ate. First dorsal continuous, with about eight feeble spines or rudi- 
mentary. Scales small, curved in front, straight behind, entirely or 
posteriorly covered with plate-like scales, several of which are keeled, 
the keel ending in a spine. 
The Yellow-tail. 
(Plate XVIII and Plate XXIJ.) 
The “ yellow-tail” of Sydney is Trachurus declivis, closely allied to the 
common British horse mackerel,* distinguished by having its lateral 
line armed with large vertical plates for its whole length, and a yellow 
tail ; isis almost cosmopolitan in the temperate ‘and arctic seas. It is 
also known by the name of scad. Mr. Hill says :—“ It is not much good, 
except at sea along our coast, when occasionally it is better than salt beef, 
and is usually eaten when very fresh ; it is dry in its character, and requires 
much garnishing to make it palatable. Like all deep-sea fishes, such as 
the bonito and albicore, it prefers a live bait, and is readily caught by 
an artificial one over the ship’s counter. The pace these fishes swim at 
is astonishing. Coming coastwise recently in a steamer, and when off 
Port Macquarie, we caught several by towing a line over the stern, the 
hook covered with a piece of white rag in the shape of a small squid ; 
then we were going about ten knots, and the mackerel appeared to be play- 
ing near the stern in the wake—every now and then they would start 
off as if the ship was at anchor. We were going too fast for the gener- 
ality of fishes, that is to catch them in the way described. There are 
many of the deep-sea fishes caught in this way. The usual method is, 
when the vessel is going through the water at three to five knots to put 
out a line with an artificial bait, and to have a small bridle of twine 
* Professor McCoy states that the Victorian T'rachurus is identical with the 
Horse Mackerel of Europe. “ The figure given by him (Prod. Zool. Vict. pl. 
XVID) is by his kind permission reproduced here (Plate XXII) from which it 
will be scen that it differs from the Z'rachurus of New South Wales, 
