A Fish of New South Wales

The first engraving of the leatherjacket  from a specimen collected in Australia in the first year of the founding of the colony in 1788.

“BAG-THROATED BALISTES. Genus CXXXV. Balistes.–Lin. Syst. Nat. The size of the fish figured in the plate is uncertain, as we have only obtained a drawing of it without any description.–It agrees in many things with others of the genus, and does not greatly differ from one figured in Willughby’s Icthyologia, Tab. 1. 22. but has the body longer in proportion. The erect horn or spine is placed over, and a little behind the eyes, as in Willughby’s figure, attended with two shorter ones directly behind the first: the long spine is quite straight, sharp at the point, and deeply sawed on the back part. Another singularity presents itself in this species, which is, a deep pouch-like appendage beneath the throat, in shape not unlike what is called Hippocrates’s sleeve, or rather a jelly bag.
This fish is found pretty commonly on the coast of New South Wales, and was called by the sailors the Old Wife, having much resemblance in many things to the species so named. When skinned, it was thought pretty good eating.”

From Governor Phillips, Voyage to Botany Bay.

References:
Ferguson, J. A. Bibliography of Australia Volumes 1-8, Canberra 1976 47.
Wantrup, J. Australian Rare Books. Sydney 1987 #5. pp.59-64, pp.127-128, p.345-5, ill. p.63.
McCormick, T. First Views of Australia 1788-1825. Sydney 1987.

Collections:
State Library Victoria: RARELTF 994.02 P54V
National Gallery Victoria: Bib ID 1807715
British Library London: Shelfmark: C.47.i.10.
Royal Collection Trust UK: RCIN 1142204