35 
excellent flavour) is -very abundant on the sand banks about 
Botany Bay and in the vicinity of Cook’s River, where they may 
be captured at early dawn, before the ripple comes upon the 
water. According also to the flowering season of other trees and 
shrubs, the blacks know the season when the mullet, schnapper, 
Port Jackson shark (Ce&traeion) or other fish are plentiful in the 
bays or harbours of the coast. But the most extraordinary 
method of fishing among the aborigines is that related by Mr. 
Fairlioline, of their fishing for mullet aided by porpoises:— 
“ Near the deserted Pilot Station, at Amity Point, near Brisbane, 
Queensland,” he says “ some of the natives may constantly be 
found during the warmer months of the year fishing for mullet.” 
In this pursuit they are assisted in a most wonderful manner by 
the porpoises. It seems that from time immemorial a sort of 
understanding has existed between the blacks and the porpoises 
for their mutual advantage, and the former pretend to know all 
the porpoises about the spot, and even have names for them. 
The beach consists of shelving sand, and near the shore are 
small hillocks of sand on which the blacks sit watching for the 
appearance of a shoal of mullet. Then- nets, which are used by 
hand, and are stretched on a frame about four feet wide, lie 
ready on the beach. On seeing a shoal several of the men run 
down, and with their spears make a peculiar splashing in the 
water. Whether the porpoises really understand this as a signal, 
or think it is the fish, it is difficult to determine, but the result 
is always the same; they at once come in towards the shore, driving 
the mullet before them. As they near the edge, a number of the 
blacks with spears and nets quickly divide to the right and left, 
and dash into the water. The porpoises being outside the shoal, 
numbers offish are secured before they can break away. In the 
scene of apparent contusion that takes place, the blacks and 
porpoises are seen splashing about close to eacli other. So 
fearless are the latter, that strangers, who have expressed doubts 
as to their tameness, have often been shown that they will take 
a fish from the end of a spear when held to them. The oldest 
men of the tribe say that the same kind of fishing has always 
been carried on as long as they can remember. Porpoises abound 
in the bay, but in no other part do the natives fish with their 
assistance. 
A beautiful little fish for the aquarium is one of which this is 
an engraving, in the Proceedings of the Zoological Society of 
London, from a drawing from life by Mr. G. F. Angas, and who 
succeeded in capturing and keeping them alive. It is named the 
