Museums Victoria
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Deep dives
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Caught & Coloured
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Stories from Nature
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The Science of Fishing
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The Bump on a Snapper's Head
The reason why large Snappers have these large bumps has long been a matter for ichthyological and angling conjecture, and in the absence of McCoy's own records we can only speculate why these particular specimens aroused his interest.
Snapper, Chrysophrys auratus, by Arthur Bartholomew.
Was it a reflection of the Victorian fascination with the pseudo-science of phrenology? Or did these gentlemen of the sea subconsciously remind him of the city patriarchs, as they emerged, ruddy-nosed from their clubs of an evening?
The series of plates was also supported by unpublished drawings, indicating that the species had been considered for illustration long before the series was finally printed. Due to McCoy's dispute with the Government the series has remained unpublished to this day.
