THE MORWONG FAMILY. 119 



line in localities where weed-covered rocks abound and there 

 it may be taken by hook-and-line or by means of the 

 trammel- or meshing-net set close in against the rocks. This 

 fish is not uncommon in, and at the entrance to, Port Jack- 

 son. In the harbour itself, it is to be found in such locali- 

 ties as George's Head and Bradley's Head and also around 

 Clark Island and Shark Island. 



The Kelpfish is a very pretty little species ; being of an 

 olive-green or light-brown, marbled over with rich dark red- 

 dish-brown; the whole being evenly speckled over with small, 

 bright, yellowish-red or golden spots. It commonly attains 

 a length of 10 to 12 inches. 



THE MORWONG FAMILY. 



(Family: Aplodactylidts.) 



THIS is quite an important family, as it embraces, in 

 addition to several others, such well-known and valuable 

 forms as the Morwong (Dactylosparus carponeinns), the 

 Jackass-Fish (Dactylosparus macro pterus}, the Sea-Carp or 

 Red Morwong (Cheilodactylus fnscus'), and the so-called 

 Cockatoo-Fish (Aplodact\lus lophodon). The first of 

 these is a fine fish, of good edible qualities. It 

 has a fairly wide distribution, being known to occur 

 along the greater part of the New South Wales 

 coast, as well as those of Victoria, Tasmania, and New Zea- 

 land. It is never taken in very great abundance in any 

 portion of its habitat. Probably this is the fault of the 

 appliances, and not through any scarcity of the Morwong 

 itself. It may be taken by either hook-and-line, or with the 

 aid of the trammel-net on rocky and sandy ground, and in 

 the vicinity of "bomboras." Two fine, coloured illustrations 

 of this species are given on plates 173 and 174 of McCoy's 

 "Prodromus of the Zoology of Victoria." 



The Jackass-Fish is generally confounded by amateur 

 fishermen, and many others, with the Morwong; and, as it 



