The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-07-17
ANTIPODEAN ANGLING.
Edible Fishes Are Found In Large
Numbers
Fortunes Await Fishermen Whe Go -
Australia TO Engage In the Bust-
ness-Where PHchard and
Herring Abound.

I
| Herring Abound.
Deep-sea fishing is an almost IN
known industry at the antiPodess III
though the Australian coast, especially
that Of New South Wales, Is regular
~ frequented by immense shoals o.
pilchards. behring's. sPrats and Other
| edible fish. of excellent flavor. and read
lily captured by those possessing tbs
| requisite skill and experience. Mr.. j
Douglas Ogilby, OF the Sydney muse
| nm, aliuding to this, says: Notwith
standing that for many years it has
been so well known that our seas teen,
with herrings, and that great fortunes
await those who make an effort to
| gather this harvest OF the deep, and
| that in comparison with such countries
as Scotland, Canada and the New Eng
favored with all the advantages accru-
ing from serener skies and more peace
full seas, we are, nevertheless, content
20 sit idle year after year and make no
attempt TO gather the wealth thus prod
igally spread out before us; while at
the same time. we are annually expend-
ing thousands of pounds in conveying
across our more fecund waters the salt
ed. timed and potted products won
from the tempestuous and frigid seas
Of the North Atlantic by our harder
relatives.
The pilchard and herring are found
in immense quantities off the New
South Wales coast during the colder
months, the spawn of the former being
found in abundance on the less fire.
quented portions of the shores. The
pilehard has wide range throughout
the Pacific ocean, from the shores of
North and South America westward,
but nowhere is it more abundant than
in the seas of New South Wales and
those of New Zealand. In the latter
colony it has already attained to con-
siderable celebrity, and to some value.
as an article of export in its smoked
form. when it is widely known and gen.
orally esteemed under the name Of ''Pic-
>tou bloaters." The herring follows the
same course as the pilchard, but is not
SO vigorously oceanic in its habits. nor
SO strictly migrant as that fish; at
all events, small consignments of them
are not unfrequently sent to the Sgd
ney market, and at most seasons few
specimens may be found among silver
bellies (gerridae) and other fishes OF
Ike appearance and habits. The her
rings are short and deep. grow to nine
inches in length, and are blue above
and silvery below, the back being trav-
ersed longitudinally by from one to
three more or less distinct golden
bands thargined above by dark blue
stripes; when fresh they are of excel
lent and delicate flavor, and would be
of superior quality for canning.
The fresh-water, or Napean herring,
is abundant in all the coast rivers of
New South Wales, and affords some
sport to anglers by rising with aviaity
to the fly, but is of little value as an
edible fish. Among the larger behring's
is the chiro, which is a uniform silvery
fish. having, for herring, an excep-
tionate depth of from one-ffth to one
sixth of the total length. It Is large
and powerful fish. attaining to a length
CT at least three feet, and is an inhab.
liant of all tropical seas, wandering.
as is natural in fish possessed of such
powers of locomotion, far into the tenn
perate regions, and wherever found is
esteemed as delicacy. The tarpum Is
the most common of the large behring's,
snd few seasons pass withouta number
Of specimens finding their way to the
Sydney market. Like the chiro, it is
Of uniform silvery, but the body is
much shorter and deeper proportion
ately, its depth being from two-sev-
enths to one-fourth of it's length; bu.
its most noticeable characteristic will
be found in the elongation of the last
dorsal ray, which is prolonged into q
bony Dream of the Murray river sys-
tenn, and the thread herrings Of the
tropics. The tnrpurn grows TO three
feet or even more, in length, and is
an excellent table fish.
The sabalo is the largest of all the
clupeiform fishes, attaining to q length
OF five feet, and having strong exter-
nal resemblance to the true salmon
(salmo salar), from which, of course,
the absence of an adipose dorsal fin, Of
teeth, ETC., at once distinguish it. Its
flesh is held in different estimation,
in some places being eaten with ayidity.
in others being considered poor, dry
and tasteless; it is rarely brought TO
market, but is largely used as bait
Blue sprsts are frequent visitors to the
New South Wales coast, the maximum
size being five inches. They are beauti-
fNl little creatures, and, like all MEM
bers of the herring family, swim in
closely packed masses near the SUI
face. the dark blue color of the back
making them distinctly visible 10 their
enemies at a considerable distance.
01Aer kinds OF pilchard. herring. sprat,
csc. are known TO exist, but, owing tn
want of suitable appliances for the cap
ture of ocean surface fishes, little przc-
teal information Is at present obtain
able, although there is sufficient to
prove that the deep-sea fishing industry
would prove a mine of wealth TO those
engaged in it under proper conditions.
Sydney Cor. Columbus (O.) STATE
Journal
BOWLING IN DUTCH DAYS