FISH AND FISHERIES. 65 
Carnivorous fishes of small size, in every shallow sea but more 
numerous in the Arctic than Antarctic circle. This family contains some 
remarkable genera which have the eyes on the top of the head and 
directed upwards (Uranoscopus, Leptoscopus, Agnus, Anema, and 
Kathetostoma). In the Trachinina division of the family the eyes are 
more or less lateral, This contains our sand whiting, Sillago maculata, 
Quoy and Gaim, Plate XVII. The body is covered with small ctenoid 
scales, the cleft of the mouth smal] and the upper jaw longer, eye large, 
lateral, two dorsals, first with nine to twelve spines, ventrals thoracic ; 
villiform teeth on jaws and vomer none on palate; preoperculum 
serrated; head with wide muciferous channels. 
The Whiting. 
(Plate XXIII, upper figure.) 
The ‘‘ whitings” are not like those of Europe.* There are in all four 
Australian species—the common sand whiting (Sillago maculata), abundant on the 
New South Wales coast ; the trumpeter whiting (Sillago bassensis), also abundant 
here, and the most common species in Brisbane ; Sillago punctata, the whiting of 
Melbourne, and rare on this coast ; and Sillago ciliata, Plate XXIV, occasionally 
seen here, and properly a fish of the tropical seas. The first of these whitings is far 
the most important as an article of food. It is perhaps in more general use even 
than the schnapper, constituting almost all through the year the most generally 
used breakfast fish we have. Ofits excellent quality when in good condition and 
in the proper season there cannot be a doubt, but the great favour in which it is 
held induces, we fear, its extensive use at times when it ceases to be good, and 
may probably be unwholesome. It is in best condition when it first appears to 
come in from the sea, about the middle or latter end ofsummer. It is thena large 
clean fish, with the roe formed but not full-sized, and it continues in its excellent 
condition until the roe has attained full maturity or been shed. This occurs 
generally about March or April. The actual deposition of the spawn has never 
been observed, but there cannot be a doubt that the sandy and muddy beaches of 
bays and lakes are the favoured spots. There isa similar want of reliable evidence 
as to the time of the appearance of the young fry, but we believe that there are 
sufficient grounds for concluding that the spawn deposited at the end of 
summer does not germinate until the warmth of spring. The young fish, and those 
of all stages of growth short of the adult full-roed fish, seem to reside in the 
harbours, estuaries, and lakes in which they were born until their departure to the 
sea ; and it is while thus still, as it were, in their nursery that the most improvi- 
dent havoc is played on them by the fishermen. The ages of these fishes at the 
time when they depart for the sea, and the precise period of their migration have 
not been determined by any accurate observation, but itis known that they 
invariably return in considerable shoals. From the evidence of Mr. C. Smith we 
are inclined to think that this whiting has two spawning seasons in the year, but 
if so, and there is little reason to doubt it, as it is certainly the case with the 
European herring and other well-known fishes—the spring spawning is much the 
least important. It is a ground fish, and, though it has been taken with the hook, 
is generally caught in the seine. The “ trumpeter whiting” is not in such request 
asthe other, nor is it found in such abundanee. The time of arrival from the sea 
is winter, or a month or two later than the sand whiting. Its habits are much 
the same in other respects. The other species of Sillago need not be mentioned 
here, as they cannot be included among our useful fishes. There are other genera 
of Trachinide found in Australian waters, but none of them having any pretension 
to utility for food or any other purpose.—R.C.C. 
In the sand whiting, which is shorter than S. punctata, the upper 
parts are of a light olive colour marbled with rather larger brown spots ; 
* The whiting of Europe is a-Gadus or Cod. 
