Page:Rambles on the Golden Coast of New Zealand.djvu/224

176 deserves its proper cognomen of the scabbard fish, its silver skin adding to the resemblance. Another fish with formidable spines on its shoulders is the “bull,” or “tide fish,” as it is called in one of the other Colonies, where its spines, and the poisonous wounds it inflicts, are looked upon by most of the fisher folk with dread and superstition. There is also a small variety of rare ocean fish, very high and thin, with quite a superabundance of fins. Its colour is bright metallic silver, fins vivid scarlet; its congeners grow to a length of 16 or 17 ft., depth 18 to 20 inches, and thickness of 1 to 2 inches only. Another which should specially be mentioned is the particular form of “angler fish,” as it is the first and only specimen noted as obtained in the world, having been washed up on our beach after a severe storm. It is provided with rod, lines, and lures, and a capacious “creel” for its victims.

A peculiar fresh-water fish which has attracted attention amongst savans and others is the “West Coast mud fish,” a fish which was once supposed to take to and reside in the mud from choice. It has often been excavated from considerable depths in the clayey soil. Its living interment is usually from necessity. As the waters dry up it is forced to wriggle into the mud, at the bottom or sides of the swampy pools it inhabits. In some instances it has been known to follow down the moisture in holes left by decaying roots, and get a considerable depth underground. When the surface of the ground has been perfectly dry, and the whole cleared and improved, the discovery of a healthy living fish, 5 or 6 ft. under dry solid ground, has been made, and has been looked upon by the spectator, at first sight, as truly miraculous. Its usual habitat is the pools and small creeks in swampy grounds, where it remains, freely swimming, nearly all the year round, reproducing from ova, as with most fish, in September or October, and the young fry, half an inch in length, can be obtained in January.