80 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



EDITORIAL GLEANINGS. 



In the ' Annals of Scottish Natural History ' (January, 1907), Mr. 

 William Eagle Clarke records a new bird to the British fauna, by the 

 occurrence of the Siberian Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus tristis) in Scotland. 

 The specimen was received in October, 1902, from the Sule Skerry 

 Lighthouse, a lonely rock-station situated out in the Atlantic, and 

 some thirty-three miles west of Orkney, where it had been captured on 

 the night of Sept. 23rd in the above-mentioned year. 



From the Report for the year 1905 of the Fisheries of New South 

 Wales we extract the following information respecting edible Eels. 

 The five species of economic importance are as follows : — 



(1) The Common Eel (Angvilla venegalensis). — This is found in all 

 the rivers and estuaries of the eastern watershed of New South Wales, 

 and is the principal Eel (because the commonest) of the Sydney fish- 

 markets. It attains a length of over three feet, with a weight of at 

 least ten pounds ; three to four pounds is, however, considered a fair 

 average. On the mud-flats of the harbours, rivers, and estuaries, and 

 the creeks which debouch thereon, this species occurs in great quantities, 

 and there is practically an inexhaustible supply. 



(2) The Short-finned Eel [A. australis). — This fish is, from an 

 economic point of view, to be classed with the previous species, though 

 it is found more particularly in the fresh waters. 



(3) The Conger Eel (Leptocephalus labiatus). — This Eel is more 

 essentially a marine fish. It attains a weight of about twelve pounds, 

 and a length of about four feet. There is reason to believe that it 

 exists in these waters in considerable numbers, but nothing regarding 

 that point can be said with certainty, owing to the haphazard nature 

 of the Eel-fishery. 



(4) The Silver Eel (Murcenesox cinereus). — This large Eel attains 

 a length of about five feet. It occurs in considerable numbers along 

 the costal waters, but is of a roving predaceous nature. Owing to the 

 many fine bones, this species is only used for smoking purposes (for 

 which it is well adapted). The fish is split from beneath, and a piece 

 of coarse cloth is rubbed along the cut surfaces, this " picking up" 

 the bones. 



(5) The Green Eel (Gymnothorax prasiua) . — This species is very 

 common along the coast of New South Wales, but is usually only cap- 

 tured by hook and line, as the fish lives in rocky situations. It attains 

 a weight of several pounds, with a length of about two feet six inches. 



