Fishes Of Australia A Popular And Systematic Guide To The Study Of The Wealth Within Our Waters

PREFACE. AUSTHAL p I o . s s esses a rich and varied fish-fauna. Of over t-el e-thousand species of fishes at present knowi, about one-tenth have been recorded from the waters of Australia. As the exploration of our rntersshas b ut just begun, it is reasonable to suppose that in the near future, the 11ulnber of fishes known to inhabit them will be greatly augmented. Amongst our indigenous fishes are many-which are of immense inlportance from an ecoilomic point of view, while there are others which are of the greatest interest to the lover of Nature-some because of their intrinsic beauty or remarkable habits, others because of the aclmir able way in which they have been adapted either in colour or form to their surroundings, and others again because of their intimate connectiolls with fossil fishes of a fardistant geological age. Viewed from the economic standpoitlt alone, it may be stated that the fishes of Australia are destined shortly to plaj-an exceedingly important part in cot tributing to the material wealth of our country. In the following pages, an attempt has been n ade by the author, to place before the reader as comprehensive 3 view of our vast fish-fauna as is possible within the bpace at our disposal. And here I must point out that a complete list of the whole of tbe known fishes inhabit ing the waters of Australia is not-for what are, perhaps, obvious reasons-included within the scope of this volume. Had such been attempted, my present aim must have been entirely defeated as the work would--of neces sity-have bee11 exceedingly bulky and correspondingly costl-, and, under t h ci rcumstances, unnecessarily technical book is intended to he a popular vork ill the fullest senseof the term, much of the informatiol herein-offercd, mill hc found to he clltireI. new chile of that whidl is, lot altogether so. a large amOulit is placed hefore Australialr rcaclers for the first till e-TIlougb it is intended and hoped that it will suhserve all the ftulctions of a truly popular work, at the same time, the subject has been treated of in a properl systematic manner from an ichthyological point of view. Thus, thc gclleral reader wilI, when satisfying a natural curiosit.. be enabled to learn, without trouble, some thin of the classificatio l of Our fishes while to the student of zoology, its value mill be quite apparent. Each fanlily of AustraIian fislles has been dealt with in its proper ichthgoIogica1 sequence the most important examples economically, or-if none is of importance-tbc most striking, being touched upon. 111 rilost cases, brief descriptiolis arc giren, or the salient features are clwelt upon, so as to assist the reader in identifying the fishes for himsctf, sl ouId t hey bc met rvith. In this connection, the reader will bc greatly helped by the numerous illustrations to l e foanrI interspcrszd throughout the book. The ii formatiotl contained in the introductory portion Chap. I. shouId enable the general readcr to understand most technical descriptions of fishes, such as appear in the great works of reference, while ior rcady refel cnce 1, have included an Appc zdi, r, showing at a glance the principal edible fishes of AustraIia, wit11 also the States in the waters of which they chiefly abound. The atten tion of students i s directed to the Tal le o f Classification of Australian Fishes appearing at thc end of chaptel-I., and those who specially intcrestthen selve in the advallce and welfare of Our COLlntr, may find the c lapter 011 Fish Economics of some value. It will cerlaillly help to hat is lot done in the utilisatio o f our, narille commerciat prodttcts. PREFACE. v...