I shall not pretend to enumerate the variety of fish which are found.  They are seen from a whale to a gudgeon.  In the intermediate classes may be reckoned sharks of a monstrous size, skait, rock-cod, grey-mullet, bream, horse-mackarel, now and then a sole and john dory, and innumerable others unknown in Europe, many of which are extremely delicious, and many highly beautiful.  At the top of the list, as an article of food, stands a fish, which we named light-horseman.  The relish of this excellent fish was increased by our natives, who pointed out to us its delicacies.  No epicure in England could pick a head with more glee and dexterity than they do that of a light-horseman.

Reptiles in the swamps and covers are numerous.  Of snakes there are two or three sorts:  but whether the bite of any of them be mortal, or even venomous, is somewhat doubtful.  I know but of one well attested instance of a bite being received from a snake.  A soldier was bitten so as to draw blood, and the wound healed as a simple incision usually does without shewing any symptom of malignity.  A dog was reported to be bitten by a snake, and the animal swelled and died in great agony.  But I will by no means affirm that the cause of his death was fairly ascertained.  It is, however, certain that the natives show, on all occasions, the utmost horror of the snake, and will not eat it, although they esteem lizards, goannas, and many other reptiles delicious fare.  On this occasion they always observe that if the snake bites them, they become lame, but whether by this they mean temporary or lasting lameness I do not pretend to determine.  I have often eaten snakes and always found them palatable and nutritive, though it was difficult to stew them to a tender state.

Summer here, as in all other countries, brings with it a long list of insects.  In the neighborhood of rivers and morasses, mosquitoes and sandflies are never wanting at any season, but at Sydney they are seldom numerous or troublesome.  The most nauseous and destructive of all the insects is a fly which blows not eggs but large living maggots, and if the body of the fly be opened it is found full of them.  Of ants there are several sorts, one of which bites very severely.  The white ant is sometimes seen.  Spiders are large and numerous.  Their webs are not only the strongest, but the finest, and most silky I ever felt.  I have often thought their labour might be turned to advantage.  It has, I believe, been proved that spiders, were it not for their quarrelsome disposition which irritates them to attack and destroy each other, might be employed more profitably than silk-worms.

The hardiness of some of the insects deserves to be mentioned.  A beetle was immersed in proof spirits for four hours, and when taken out crawled away almost immediately.  It was a second time immersed, and continued in a glass of rum for a day and a night, at the expiration of which period it still showed symptoms of life.  Perhaps, however, what I from ignorance deem wonderful is common.