1 Ocr., 1897.] QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 341 
eaten the Gourami consider it the finest of all fish. The flesh is of a pale- 
straw colour, firm, flaky, and very delicious. The fish is, like our Ceratodus, 
very tenacious of life. It is taken to market alive, and, if not sold, is reprieved 
for a time and returned to its pond. The Gourami is very hardy, and grows 
fast; it is, although mainly a vegetable feeder, omnivorous in its taste—waste 
food. of any description is acceptable to it. Anyone having a pond in his 
garden or yard can keep Gourami, and when one is wanted for dinner a scoop- 
net is all that is necessary for capture. The colony of Victoria made persistent 
efforts to introduce the Gourami from Mauritius between the years 1859 and ~ 
1864, but they all resulted in failure, principally owing to the fact that at that 
time the fish were transported by sailing vessels, when they received little 
attention, and the work was reluctantly abandoned. Two feeble attempts 
were made by our colony, but failed through mismanagement. Any person 
haying a lagoon could cultivate Gourami ; indeed, it would be difficult to find 
a new industry that would yield such satisfactory results. If the Queensland 
Agricultural College possesses a lagoon or suitable pond, fish culture would be a 
yaluable and interesting addition to the already excellent curriculum.* The 
accompanying illustrations have been supplied to me by the proprietors of the 
Queenslander. 
* There is a very good deep sheet of water at the College, which should be eminently suited 
for the purpose.—Ed, Q,4.J. 
