THE VORWONG FAMILY. 121 



in colour than the adults. There is a beautiful orange- 

 coloured band round each eye, and an orange patch at the 

 edge of the opercnlnm on the body. Both the dorsal and 

 caudal fins are edged with orange. 



An interesting point in the structure of the three species 

 oi this family which we have so far discussed, and which 

 the ordinary observer will not be likely to miss, is the re- 

 markable shape of the pectoral fin. In this, one of the lower 

 rays is greatly elongated, and possesses a peculiar finger-like 

 appearance. This feature is particularly striking in the 

 Morwong and Jackass-Fish. Other features of interest are 

 the thick, tieshy lips and the prominent, knobby protuber- 

 ances over the eyes. 



Young Carp from about 8 inches in length downward 

 are very often taken, when a net is hauled to land over 

 a "grassy" flat in the lower waters of Port Jackson ; parti- 

 cularly if the flat is in the neighbourhood of rocky ground. 

 The adult is almost solely an "outside" fish, being quite 

 common around sunken reefs, bomboras, and rocky shores, 

 where it obtains for its sustenance small Crustaceans, 

 Worms, Shells, &c. In the harbour of Port Jackson itself, 

 examples are occasionally taken about Clark Island, Shark 

 Island, George's Head, Bradley's Head, and a few other 

 somewhat similar localities. 



The ordinary means of capture employed for the Carp 

 are either hook-and-line or the trammel-net. 



Another fish of this family that is very common, but, at 

 the same time, is not often seen by the average 

 person, is the Cockatoo -Fish. This is a vegetable-feed- 

 ing, "outside" rock-fish, which subsists principally upon 

 gelatinous seaweeds. It is a very dark-coloured fish, with 

 somewhat lighter mottlings. The skin and scales have a 

 leathery feeling. It has a most peculiar-looking head ; very 

 suggestive of that of a cockatoo hence its common name. 

 From the occipital portion of the head, the back suddenly 

 rises to the dorsal fin, and this heightens the generally 

 peculiar appearance of the fish. It commonly attains a 

 length of 1 8 inches or more. 



The Cockatoo-Fish is not usually caught by hook-and- 

 line. though occasional specimens have been captured in that 

 way. The only proper and really effective manner is bv 



