![Black Bream, Acanthopagrus butcheri by Arthur Bartholomew. Drawing, pencil on paper](/media/22315/pz-41-black-bream-000168564.jpg?center=0.7016574585635359,0.49019607843137253&mode=crop&width=768&height=432&rnd=133258769059430000&bgcolor:fff)
![Illustration - Pencil and watercolour on paper, Western Australian Salmon](/media/22318/pz-171-western-australia-salmon-000015370.jpg?center=0.74358974358974361,0.49411764705882355&mode=crop&width=768&height=432&rnd=133258768856630000&bgcolor:fff)
Fish
The temperate waters around Australia's southern coast possess a unique fauna. Distinct from that of the tropics, it was also radically different from that of the northern hemisphere familiar to Frederick McCoy before his arrival in Melbourne. It is therefore unsurprising that 61 fish were included in the Prodromus, making it the second largest group featured.
From an estimated 600 species of fish inhabiting Victorian waters, McCoy's choices of which to illustrate were governed by opportunity, size and an eye to the market. Many were taken from the closest saltwater environment, Hobson's Bay, while other interesting specimens were provided by Mr. Jenkins, a Melbourne fishmonger with whom McCoy seemed to develop a particular rapport.
Of the few freshwater fish illustrated, McCoy focused on larger species with commercial value, such as the Golden Perch and Murray Cod. Spectacular or dangerous fish were also well covered, with 14 species of sharks, along with oddities such as the Tasselled Anglerfish and deep sea Oarfish.
McCoy planned to provide a much more systematic coverage of Victorian fish, particularly species with commercial potential, and of the 84 unpublished plates 40 were dedicated to fish. These included individual plates for juvenile, female and male Snapper, as well as John Dory and Boarfish.
An impressive suite of drawings was also retained in the collection, almost all by Arthur Bartholomew. Created with the intent to publish, these contain all the information required to complete a lithograph in the style established by the Prodromus. Bartholomew's concentration and meticulous eye for detail made his original fish drawings more compelling and lively than many completed prints.
![Black Bream, Acanthopagrus butcheri by Arthur Bartholomew. Drawing, pencil on paper](/media/22315/pz-41-black-bream-000168564.jpg?center=0.7016574585635359,0.49019607843137253&mode=crop&width=768&height=432&rnd=133258769059430000&bgcolor:fff)
![Butterfly Gurnard, Lepidotrigla vanessa by Arthur Bartholomew. Pencil illustration on paper](/media/22316/pz-51-butterfly-gurnard-000025813.jpg?center=0.7052023121387283,0.49411764705882355&mode=crop&width=768&height=432&rnd=133258769272930000&bgcolor:fff)
Butterfly Gurnard, Lepidotrigla vanessa
![Estuary Perch, Macquaria colonorum by Arthur Bartholomew. Drawing, pencil, watercolour and ink on paper](/media/22317/pz-141-estuary-perch-000168702.jpg?anchor=center&mode=crop&width=768&height=432&rnd=133258757427670000&bgcolor:fff)
Estuary Perch, Macquaria colonorum
![Illustration - Pencil and watercolour on paper, Western Australian Salmon](/media/22318/pz-171-western-australia-salmon-000015370.jpg?center=0.74358974358974361,0.49411764705882355&mode=crop&width=768&height=432&rnd=133258768856630000&bgcolor:fff)
Western Australian Salmon, Arripis truttaceus
![Largetooth Beardie, Lotella rhacina, by Arthur Bartholomew (del) and Frederick Schoenfeld (lith). Drawing - pencil, watercolour and Indian ink](/media/22319/pz-191-largetooth-beardie-000168727.jpg?anchor=center&mode=crop&width=768&height=432&rnd=133258778327430000&bgcolor:fff)
Largetooth Beardie, Lotella rhacina
![Australian Red Cod, Pseudophycis palmata, by Arthur Bartholomew. Pencil, watercolour, lithographic ink, Indian ink illustration on paper](/media/22320/pz-201-bearded-rock-cod-000025827.jpg?anchor=center&mode=crop&width=768&height=432&rnd=133258787952700000&bgcolor:fff)
Bearded Rock Cod, Pseudophycis barbata
![Drawing - pencil, watercolour and ink on paper - of a Rock Ling](/media/22354/pz-272-rock-ling-000168783.jpg?anchor=center&mode=crop&width=768&height=432&rnd=133262187338530000&bgcolor:fff)
Rock Ling, Genypterus tigerinus
![Drawing - pencil, watercolour and Indian ink on paper - of a Blue Mackerel](/media/22353/pz-282-blue-mackerel-000180920.jpg?anchor=center&mode=crop&width=768&height=432&rnd=133262186034170000&bgcolor:fff)
Blue Mackerel, Scomber australasicus
![Hand-coloured lithograph - lithographic ink, watercolour and varnish on paper - of an Ocean Perch](/media/22352/pz-333-ocean-perch-000015372.jpg?anchor=center&mode=crop&width=768&height=432&rnd=133262185281600000&bgcolor:fff)
Ocean Perch, Helicolenus percoides
![Drawing - pencil and watercolour on paper - of an Australian Angelshark](/media/22351/pz-341-australian-angelshark-000180947.jpg?anchor=center&mode=crop&width=768&height=432&rnd=133262184345130000&bgcolor:fff)
Australian Angelshark, Squatina australis
![Pencil and watercolour drawing of a Banded Wobbegong and a Broadnose Shark](/media/22350/pz-431-banded-wobbegong-000180984.jpg?anchor=center&mode=crop&width=768&height=432&rnd=133262182844170000&bgcolor:fff)
Banded Wobbegong, Orectolobus ornatus and Broadnose Shark, Notorynchus cepedianus
![Southern Bluefin Tuna and Barracouta. Lithographic proof - lithographic ink and watercolour on paper](/media/22349/pz-444-southern-bluefin-tuna-000026087.jpg?anchor=center&mode=crop&width=768&height=432&rnd=133262179652570000&bgcolor:fff)
Southern Bluefin Tuna, Thunnus maccoyii and Barracouta, Thyrsites atun
![Southern Sawshark. Drawing - pencil and watercolour on paper](/media/22360/pz-562-southern-sawshark-000181046c.jpg?anchor=center&mode=crop&width=768&height=432&rnd=133262851088730000&bgcolor:fff)
Southern Sawshark, Pristiophorus nudipinnis
![Southern Eagle Ray. Drawing - pencil, watercolour and ink on paper](/media/22361/pz-631-southern-eagle-ray-000181094.jpg?anchor=center&mode=crop&width=768&height=432&rnd=133262852241130000&bgcolor:fff)
Southern Eagle Ray, Myliobatus australis
![Scientific illustration of a Greynurse Shark and a School Shark. The Greynurse Shark has type embossed on it.](/media/22358/pz-644-greynurse-shark-and-school-shark-000015378.jpg?anchor=center&mode=crop&width=768&height=432&rnd=133262854818170000&bgcolor:fff)
Greynurse Shark, Carcharias taurus and School Shark, Galeorhinus galeus
![Common Seadragon, Phyllopteryx taeniolatus, by Ludwig Becker. Unnumbered watercolour, pencil and Indian ink illustration on paper](/media/22356/pz-651-common-seadragon-000016031.jpg?anchor=center&mode=crop&width=768&height=432&rnd=133262855990470000&bgcolor:fff)
Common Seadragon, Phyllopteryx taeniolatus
![Scientific illustration of a White Shark, Carcharodon carcharias](/media/22359/pz-744-white-shark-000025835.jpg?anchor=center&mode=crop&width=768&height=432&rnd=133262931429700000&bgcolor:fff)
White Shark, Carcharodon carcharias
![Golden Perch, Macquaria ambigua by Arthur Bartholomew. Lithographic proof - lithographic ink on paper](/media/22357/pz-8413-golden-perch-000015383.jpg?anchor=center&mode=crop&width=768&height=432&rnd=133262929355200000&bgcolor:fff)
Golden Perch, Macquaria ambigua
![Scientific illustration of a Murray Cod](/media/22364/pz-854-murray-cod-000015385.jpg?anchor=center&mode=crop&width=768&height=432&rnd=133263114783830000&bgcolor:fff)
Murray Cod, Maccullochella peelii
![Scientific illustration of a Murray Cod](/media/22363/pz-865-murray-cod-000025839.jpg?anchor=center&mode=crop&width=768&height=432&rnd=133263114182630000&bgcolor:fff)
Murray Cod, Maccullochella peelii #2
![Scientific illustration of a Port Jackson Shark](/media/22374/pz-1133-port-jackson-shark-000025859.jpg?anchor=center&mode=crop&width=768&height=432&rnd=133263113173700000&bgcolor:fff)
Port Jackson Shark, Heterodontus portusjacksoni
![Scientific illustration of a Southern Roughy](/media/22373/pz-1142-southern-roughy-000025866.jpg?anchor=center&mode=crop&width=768&height=432&rnd=133263112406870000&bgcolor:fff)
Southern Roughy, Trachichthys australis
![Scientific illustration of a Tasselled Anglerfish. Colour proof b, lithographic ink on paper](/media/22362/pz-1235-tasselled-anglerfish-000015334.jpg?anchor=center&mode=crop&width=768&height=432&rnd=133263086384400000&bgcolor:fff)
Tasselled Anglerfish, Rhycherus filamentosus
![Scientific illustration of a Toothbrush Leatherjacket](/media/22372/pz-1242-toothbrush-leatherjacket-000026951.jpg?anchor=center&mode=crop&width=768&height=432&rnd=133263111722830000&bgcolor:fff)
Toothbrush Leatherjacket, Acanthaluteres vittiger
![Scientific illustration of a Horseshoe Leatherjacket](/media/22371/pz-1252-horseshoe-leatherjacket-000026955.jpg?anchor=center&mode=crop&width=768&height=432&rnd=133263110564100000&bgcolor:fff)
Horseshoe Leatherjacket, Meuschenia hippocrepis
![Scientific illustration of a Bluethroat Wrasse](/media/22370/pz-1341-bluethroat-wrasse-000026972.jpg?anchor=center&mode=crop&width=768&height=432&rnd=133263109701900000&bgcolor:fff)
Bluethroat Wrasse, Notolabrus tetricus
![Scientific illustration of an Oarfish](/media/22369/pz-1452-oarfish-000015339.jpg?anchor=center&mode=crop&width=768&height=432&rnd=133263108645470000&bgcolor:fff)
Oarfish, Regalecus glesne
![Scientific illustration of an Australian Bonito](/media/22377/pz-1551-australian-bonito-000026996.jpg?anchor=center&mode=crop&width=768&height=432&rnd=133263107983300000&bgcolor:fff)
Australian Bonito, Sarda australis
![Scientific illustration of a Blue Morwong](/media/22376/pz-1742-blue-morwong-000391691.jpg?anchor=center&mode=crop&width=768&height=432&rnd=133263107060170000&bgcolor:fff)
Blue Morwong, Nemadactylus valenciennesi
![Scientific illustration of a Common Gurnard Perch](/media/22375/pz-1932-common-gurnard-perch-000025882.jpg?anchor=center&mode=crop&width=768&height=432&rnd=133263106249100000&bgcolor:fff)