Is a rare inhabitant of rocky places. Speared by Mooriane, 14th of May, 1841. This seems to be a new generic form, nearly allied to HOPLEGNATHUS, Richardson; or SCARODON, Schlegel.
No. 43.—SCORPIS?—Native name, MEMON or MEEMON. "Sweep" of the sealers. "Rays, D.; A. 1." Teeth minute. It is a gross feeder and poor eating. Very common on rocky shores. Being a bold voracious fish, it is easily speared or taken with a hook. The Aborigines generally select a rock which jutts out into the sea, and sitting on their hams, beat crabs into fragments with a little stone, and throw them into the sea to attract this fish. The instant a fish comes to feed on the bait, the native, whose spear is ready, suddenly darts it, and rarely fails in bringing up the fish on its barbed point. Specimen caught by the hook, 15th of June, 1841.
No. 44.—KURTUS?—Native name, TELYUA, or TELLYA, "Rays, D. 13; A. 2-19;
V.5."
Thrown up on Albany beach, 14th of August, 1841.
PLATESSIDEAE.
No. 50.—PLATESSA? vel. HIPPOGLOSSUS? CHUNDELA.—Native name, CHONDELAR, or CHUNDELA. The "Spotted sole" of the settlers. Very common in all the shallow bays in the summer time, where it may be taken by the seine. The natives detect it when its body is buried in the sand, by the glistening of its eyes, and spear it. When fishing with the torch, in the night time, the natives feel for this fish with their naked feet. Specimen caught by seine, August, 1841. This fish is delicate eating.
SCOMBERIDAE.
No. 32.—CARANX MICANS, Solander, Icon. Parkinson, Bib. Banks, No. 89.—Native name, MADAWICK, "Skip-jack" of the settlers. "Rays, D. 8-28; A. 2-23; P. 15." Very common in shallow sandy bays, and forming the staple food of the natives, who assemble in fine calm days, and drive shoals of this fish into weirs that they have constructed of shrubs and branches of trees. Specimen caught by hook on the 12th of May, 1841.
No. 16.—TRACHURUS LUTESCENS. Solander (SCOMBER) Pisees Austr. p. 38.
Richard. Ann. Nat. Hist. x. p. 14.—Native name, WARAWITE and
MADIWICK. "Yellow tail" of the sealers. "Rays, D. 6; A. 2." Eye very
large.
Inhabits the edges of sandy banks. Good eating. Caught by hook 5th of
March, 1841.