8o THE EDIBLE FISHES OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 



of our harbors — more particularly Port Jackson. It possesses 

 a very compressed or narrow, high body: the scales are quite 

 small and adherent, the eye is fairly large and the mouth is 

 small. When freshly captured the body is seen to be some- 

 what of a uniform silvery blue, but this quickh^ changes to 

 a dusky blackish tint — hence the vernacular name. Large 

 numbers of the young of this fish are captured by boys 

 around Port Jackson and are taken home and cooked, and 

 there is no doubt that, though small, they make a very 

 tasty dish. 



Batfish {Monodactylus argenteus). 



A common fish, most abundant in our northern harbors 

 and estuaries. Although edible, and said to be of good 

 quality, it is net at present of importance. It is such a deep- 

 bodied fish that (exclusive of fins) the height is nearly as great 

 as the length. It attains a length of 8 or 9 inches. 



CORAL FISHES. 



Butter-Fish {Epkippus muUijasciatus). 



Plate XLVIIL 



This species is very abundant in the estuaries of our 

 northern rivers, and, occasionally, shoals of fair size have been 

 noticed in the waters of Port Jackson; However, as it is not 

 greatly esteemed as a table-fish, it forms but a small portion 

 of the food-supply. The Butter-Fish attains exceptionally a 

 length of 15 or 16 inches. 



It is an exceedingly pretty fish. The ground color is 

 bright silver, and on this are displayed, at intervals, broad 

 vertical broken bands of a dark-green color. These bands 

 are composed of large elongated spots, and between them are 

 shorter and narrower . bands composed of smaller spots. 



Spotted Butter-Fish {Ephippus argus). 



This Butter- Fish is rare in New South Wales waters. In 

 general form it is somewhat similar to the preceding, but may 

 be at once distinguished by the presence of numerous dark 

 rounded spots, of a fairly large size, on each side. 



