Journals of Expeditions of Discovery into Central Australia and Overland from Adelaide to King George's Sound in the Years 1840-1: Sent By the Colonists of South Australia, with the Sanction and Support of the Government: Including an Account of the Manne eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 408 pages of information about Journals of Expeditions of Discovery into Central Australia and Overland from Adelaide to King George's Sound in the Years 1840-1.

Journals of Expeditions of Discovery into Central Australia and Overland from Adelaide to King George's Sound in the Years 1840-1: Sent By the Colonists of South Australia, with the Sanction and Support of the Government: Including an Account of the Manne eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 408 pages of information about Journals of Expeditions of Discovery into Central Australia and Overland from Adelaide to King George's Sound in the Years 1840-1.

     PERCIDAE.

No. 46.—­ENOPLOSUS ARMATUS.  Cuv. et Val. 2, p. 133, pl. 20.—­Native name, KARLOCK.  Speared by a native, June 1841.  Inhabits rocky shores.

     BERYCIDAE.

No. 2.—­BERYX LINEATUS, C. and V. 3, p. 226.—­Native name, CHETONG.  Red Snapper, or Tide-fisher of the sealers.  Very common in the bays of rocky shores.  “Rays, D. 5-14; A. 4-13; P. 12; V. 1-7.”

     SPHYRAENIDAE.

No. 59.—­SPHYROENA.—­Native name, KORDONG.  “Rays, D. 5, 1-9; A. 11; P. 13; V. 1-5.”

The “Common Baracoota” is found off the whole coast of New Holland, but the KORDONG seems to be peculiar to Western Australia.  It comes into the shallow bays in summer; and being a sluggish fish, is easily speared by the natives, who esteem it to be excellent food.  It will lay for a minute looking with indifference at its enemy, while he poises the fatal and unerring spear.  Specimen caught in a net, December, 1841.

     SILLAGINIDAE.

No. 25.—­SILLAGO.—­Native name, MURDAR.  “Rock whiting” of the settlers.  “Rays, D. 10-23; A. 18; P. 13; A. 5.”

Inhabits rocky shores and deep water.  Caught by the seine, 3rd April, 1841.  Good eating.

No. 11.—­SILLAGO PUNCTATA, C. et V 3, P. 413.—­Native name MURDAR.  “Common whiting” of the settlers.  “Rays, D. 12, 1-26; A. 22; P. 11; V. 5.”

Inhabits shallow sandy bays abundantly, and is much admired for the delicacy of its flesh, but it is dryer eating than the whiting of Europe.

     SCIAENIDAE.

No. 55.—­CORVINA?—­Native name T’CHARK or T’CHYARK.  King-fish of the sealers.  “Rays, D. 9—­1-27; A. 1-7; P. 15; V. 1-5.”

Teeth strong and sharp.  Grows to a great size; as I am informed by the natives, that they often spear individuals weighing sixty or seventy pounds.  This fish enters the fresh-water periodically, like the Salmon of Europe, to spawn, and it is the only fish in this country which I have distinctly made out to do so.  It is tolerably good eating.  The specimen was caught at the mouth of Oyster Harbour by a hook, on the 30th August, 1841. (This may be the adult of the CORVINA KUHLII of the HISTOIRE des POISSONS, 5. p. 121.)

     SERRANIDAE.

No. 19.—­CENTROPRISTES TRUTTA.  SCIAENA TRUTTA, G. Foster, Icon. 210. (vide Ichth. of Ereb. and Terror, p. 30.)—­Native name King-NURRIE, or IINAGUR.  “Salmon” of the sealers.  Pectorals yellow or orange coloured, with dark bases; scales faintly fan-streaked; last rays of dorsal and anal elongated.  Faint oblong, orange-coloured spots on the sides, not in vertical rows.  “Rays, D. 9-16; A. 2-10; P. 16.”  Eye remarkably brilliant.  Good eating in the summer time, but far inferior to the Salmo SALAR.  It congregates in vast shoals, and pursues the fry of other fishes in shallow bays, but never enters fresh-water.  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.

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Journals of Expeditions of Discovery into Central Australia and Overland from Adelaide to King George's Sound in the Years 1840-1: Sent By the Colonists of South Australia, with the Sanction and Support of the Government: Including an Account of the Manne from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.