One afternoon, a party was formed for a fishing excursion in Port Jackson: we took a seine with us, and pulled out to a fine bay or cove, called “Chowder Bay,” a picturesque little spot, and not far distant in the harbour from the north head at the entrance of Port Jackson. On the seine being hauled, immense numbers of the _Balistes_, more commonly known by the name of “_Leather Jackets_,” from the great toughness of their skins, of various sizes were obtained. This fish is troublesome to hook-and-line fishermen, from biting their hook into two parts. It was probably this circumstance that caused the name of _File-fish_ to be conferred upon them. Their flesh is not used by Europeans; but the blacks eat them. Several sting-rays (_Trygon pastinaca_? of Cuvier) were also caught, together with numerous specimens of _Diodon_; _Sygnathus_, and two species of _Mullus_; one was the _Mullus barbatus_, Linn., of a bright-red colour, “Le Rouget” of the French: this is the species said to be so celebrated for the excellence of its flavour, as well as the pleasure the Romans took in contemplating the changes of colour it experienced while dying. The “_Cat-fish_,” (_Silurus_,) said to have the power of stinging with the tentaculæ or feelers, which pend from about the external part of the mouth, large quantities of the _Chœtodon fasciata_, or Banded Chœtodon, and several species of bream, were caught in this and other coves so numerous in the splendid harbour of Port Jackson. Several large cephalopodous animals, Loligo of Lamarck, Les Calmars of Cuvier, were frequently taken in the seine. If taken in the hand alive, they would, with the succulent tentaculæ, draw the fingers of the person holding them towards their parrot-beaked mouths, and inflict a severe bite: they also discharge, when captured, a large quantity of thick black fluid, a very minute proportion of which suffices to render turbid a large quantity of water. Should this black liquid fall upon linen clothes, it produces a stain difficult, if at all possible, to be removed. It is from this fluid that the material known by the name of China or Indian ink, is manufactured. The ancients were also accustomed to use it as a writing ink, and esteemed the flesh as a delicacy. Most of the eastern natives, and those among the Polynesian islands, partake of it, and esteem it as food: they may be seen exposed for sale in the bazaars throughout India. Having brought my researches in this colony to a conclusion for the present, I have to regret the limited portion of time I was able to devote to the investigation of its various natural productions, &c., so numerous and interesting in all portions of the great continent of Australia. The discoveries already made have been numerous; and, when it is considered that an immense tract of country still remains unexplored, many treasures in every department of natural history may yet be looked for from this comparatively new and extraordinary portion of the globe.