62 ' THE EDIBLE FISHES OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 



The Pearl Perch is a deep-water fish and is possessed of 

 exceedingly large saucer-eyes, as in the case of many deep- 

 water forms. It attains a length of about 2 feet. 



No special fishery for this species exists at present, and 

 it is usually captured by parties out " Snappering." 



Old Wife (Enoplosus armatus). 



Plate XXXIL 



This curious fish is perhaps one of the most " unperch- 

 like " of all the Perches. With its high, vertically-striped, 

 highly-compressed body and its pointed snout, it suggests 

 rather the gorgeous Coral-fishes or Chaetodons. 



It attains exceptionally a length of about 12 inches, 

 though examples of 8 inches in length are considered large. 



Though a fine little table-fish it is not often brought to 

 market, as it does not usually take a bait, and adults seldom 

 come within the scope of the fisherman's hauling-net, owing 

 to the habit of keeping in the vicinity of rocks and wharves. 

 In rocky locations it may be taken by means of that very 

 useful implement, the trammel-net. 



Long-finned Piks {Dinolestes lewini). 



The term " Long-finned " is applied to this fish to 

 differentiate it from the Short-finned Pike, which is a fish of 

 another family (previously referred to), and with which it is 

 commonly grouped in the New South Wales fish markets as 

 simply " Pike." The name is given on account of the relative 

 length of the second dorsal and anal fins. 



The Long-finned Pike is an edible fish of no mean order, 

 and attains a length of nearly 2 feet. It is sometimes known 

 as Skipjack Pike. It is a highly voracious fish, making great 

 havoc among the shoals of smaller fishes, among which it is 

 usually captured. 



This fish abounds chiefly along our south coast. 



