It is often taken of from
seven to ten pounds weight. It affords excellent sport to the angler. The
specimen was caught by the hook from my own door on the 4th May, 1841.
No. 3. - CENTROPRISTES (CIRRIPIS) GEORGIANUS. C. et V. 7. p. 451. Jenyn's
Zool. of Beagle, p. 13. - Native name WARRAGUIT. "Herring" of the
settlers. Rays, D. 9-14; A. 3-10; etc.
Inhabits rocky shores, and is taken in the summer, by net on sandy
beaches. Specimen caught by the hook, on the 27th March, 1841.
No. 23. - SERRANUS? vel CAPRODON (Schlegel.) aut PLECTROPOMA. - Native name
TANG or TAA (It bites.) The "Perch" of the Sealers. "Rays, D. 10-24; A.
2-9; P. 14; V. 1-5."
Eye fine crimson: pupil deep blue-black. Tail slightly rounded.
Remarkably strong canines, from which peculiarity it has obtained its
native name of TAA, as it bites severely when taken, if the fisher be not
on the alert. It is good to eat, but is not common. Caught by the hook on
9th of April, 1841.
No. 4. - PLECTROPOMA NIGRO-RUBRUM. C. et V. 2. p. 403. - Native name
BUNDEL. "Crab-eyed soldier" of the settlers. "Rays, D. 10-17; A. 3-9."
Inhabits rocky shores, and is not common. Specimen caught by the hook, on
the 4th April, 1841. Good eating.
No. 21. - HELOTES? - Native names, BOORA, BOWRU, also CHARLUP. The "Pokey,"
or "small Trumpeter" of the sealers. "Rays, D. 11 - 1-11; A. 2-11; etc."
Inhabits rocky places. Good to eat. Caught by the seine, on the 3rd
March, 1841.
CIRRHITIDAE.
No. 24. - CHEILODACTYLUS GIBBOSUS. Solander. Icon. Ined. Banks. No.
23. - Richardson Zool. Trans. 3, p. 102. - Native name KNELOCK (not
certain).
Inhabits sandy beaches; is little known to the sealers. Caught in a net,
3rd March, 1841.
No. 39. CHEILODACTYLUS CARPONEMUS. - C. et V. 5. p. 362. - Native name
CHETTANG. "Jew-fish" of the sealers (the name "Jew-fish" is applied
otherwise by the colonists).
Inhabits rocky shores. Some specimens weigh upwards of sixteen pounds.
Caught by hook, 17th May, 1841.
No. 42. - CHEILODACTYLUS. Native name TOORJENONG. "Black Jew-fish" of the
sealers. "Rays, D. 16-26; A. 2-10; P. 13; V. 5."
Inhabits rocky points of sandy bays, where they love to run in and root
up the sand with their fleshy mouths. They are sluggish, and easily
speared by the Aborigines, whose chief food it constitutes at certain
seasons. The specimen was speared in my presence by Wallup, on the 8th of
June, 1841. The TOORJENONG grows to a large size, exceeding twenty pounds
in weight. It is a gross feeder, and its flesh is hard and dry, but the
head and sides are much prized by the natives, and the head of a large
one makes tolerable soup.
