90 NEW SOUTH WALES 
ScieRopzuRMI, of the order Plectognathi, in which the jaws are armed 
with a small number of distinct teeth, and the skin has shields or is 
merely rough. In MZ. ayraudi the skin is rough but velvety, the colour 
‘is brownish, with three or four whitish longitudinal bands. It attains 
a length of 18 inches. 
It will be necessary to say a few words about the toad-fishes and 
porcupines, because they are so poisonous, and yet abundant about all 
our harbours. In 1874 a fatal accident occurred to some children at 
Coogee Bay. They were out on a picnic, and having caught some toad- 
fish, cooked and ate them. They died in terrible agony a few hours 
afterwards. 
These fishes belong to the family GymnoponTes and the genus 
Tetrodon, thus described by Giinther :— 
“Body more or less shortened. The bones of the upper and lower 
jaw are confluent, forming a beak with a trenchant edge, without teeth, 
with or without median suture. A soft dorsal, caudal and anal are 
developed,—approximate. No spinous dorsal. Pectoral fins, no ven- 
trals. Marine fishes of the temperate and tropical regions. Some 
species confined to fresh water.” 
Before appending the observations of Mr. Hill on these fishes, it is 
necessary to remark that he speaks of the liver of some of these species 
as being edible. No doubt it may be the case for some kinds, but it is 
equally certain that the liver is the most poisonous part of others. Sir 
John Richardson, in his article on Ichthyology in the Encyclopedia 
Britannica, 8th edit., vol. xii, p. 331, gives an instance wherein two 
sailors were poisoned at the Cape of Good Hope from eating the liver 
of one fish of the genus Zetrodon. A detailed account of the symptoms 
was drawn up by a surgeon in the Dutch navy who attended the men 
until they died, which was in less than half an hour after eating the 
liver. It should also be remarked that, though Mr. Hill identifies the 
fish which poisoned the children as 7. hamiliont, yet this is question- 
able. But of nineteen known Australian species seven are found in Port 
Jackson. Some of them reach a length of nearly 2 feet, but such a size 
is rare. 
The Toad-fish. 
“The toad-fishes do not grow to a large size, at all events the largest 
we have seen measures something over a foot, and when they do attain 
anything approaching 6 inches in this Colony they are chiefly found 
along the coast outside ; there they may be found to the size of 8 or 
10 inches in length. Those toad-fishes in the harbour are in the young 
stage, and may be found pushing their way and following the flowing 
tide to its utmost limits. 
“The toad-fishes of Port Jackson alone already described number not 
less than six varieties, though some of them differ but slightly in 
appearance, and the whole may be recognized by one common form. 
That which caused the death of those children alluded to, together with 
a cat which had evidently partaken of the vomit, is of the genus 
Tetrodon hamilton. 
