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Wellington Independent, Volume XXVI, Issue 3352, 22 November 1871, Page 3

The Huge Fish.-— The capture of the largo and strange fish to which wo have already alluded is described as follows by the " Sjdney Morning Herald" of the 2nd inst. :—" At Manly Beach, between 4 and 5 o'clock yesterday, our well-known fisherman, Benjamin Skinner, after repeated blows with a harpoon, succeeded at last by a thrust in the eye in securing one -of the largest and greatest curiosities in the • finny tribo' imaginable. It measures 10ft long, 12ft broad, and about sft thick, no tail, with hard shell back. Skinner baa been offered a considerable sum for this monster, but has declined to part with it until the curator of the museum has seen it, having been for some time past collecting for that gentleman. Many foJks have ventured an opinion, such as • sunfish,' ' electricfish,' &c. ; but Mr George Smith, who has Been sunfish and electricfish, positively states that it is neither. Thorefore, until some one comes forward who can really take upon himself to assert what it actually is, this extraordinary scaly adventurer will remain a mystery. Whatever it is, the villagers of Manly have turned out with the utmost interest to view the stranger, and are bothered in their conjectures as to the origin of their visitor. Six men have already stood on his back, and — although room for more— made not the slightest impression on his conical roof, one of the gentlemen being a well-known citizen, and up to 18 atone." The fish has since turned out to be a monster sunfish. ©IPoULTBY Statistics. — The total number of poultry in tho colony of New Zealand at tho time of the last census is returned as 872,174.