88 



FISHES OF AUSTRALIA. 



together with its large and handsome saucer-like eyes and 

 deeply-forked tail, render it the most conspicuous object in 

 the fishmonger's window. Its very large, deeply-slanting 

 mouth also calls for some mention. The sculpturing of the 

 scales which in this species are ctenoid is very remark- 

 able. A small body-scale makes a most interesting and 

 beautiful object for the microscope. 





Fig. 33. NANNYGAI (Bcrii.r affinix). 



The Nannygai usually occurs in fairly deep water, wide 

 off-shore, at sea ; in the neighbourhood of sunken reefs and 

 rocky bottoms ; and, in such localities, it is, at certain times, 

 quite plentiful, being captured with hook and line. It takes 

 a flesh-bait very readily. It has been taken in water of a 

 depth of 80 fathoms, while young examples are often taken 

 in shallow water in the harbours. As a food-fish it is 

 generally considered to be of the first importance, and it 

 always finds a very ready sale, at a high price, in the mar- 

 kets. Many people regard it from the epicurean point of 

 view as a very great delicacy; this idea being, no doubt, 

 greatly assisted by the generally-beautiful appearance of the 

 fish when fresh. The Nannygai is found over the greater 

 portion of the coasts of New South Wales, Victoria, and 

 parts of Tasmania. It also occurs in New Zealand, and 

 commonly attains a length of about 18 inches. 



Other species of the genus Beryx to which the 

 Nannygai belongs are found in moderate ocean depths in 

 the Indian Ocean, on the coasts of Japan, Cuba and Madeira, 

 and also in the Gulf Stream. These fishes are particularly 

 interesting, as they represent at this day, certain fossil forms 

 of Teleostean (or bony) fishes, which are amongst the oldest- 

 known geologically speaking. 



