54 EDIBLE EISHES OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 



ttat of the snout: interorbital space convex, 1'00-1'50 in the diameter of 

 the eye. Upper jaw the longer : breadth of preorbital three fifths of its 

 height. Barbels well developed, extending to the opercular flap, or even 

 beyond it in immature examples. Maxilla almost hidden by the preorbital 

 when the mouth is closed, not dilated posteriorly, reaching to the anterior 

 margin of the orbit or not quite so far. Upper profile of head rounded, with a 

 slight concavity on the snout. Preopercle entire: operclewith two weak spines. 

 Two rows of conical teeth anteriorly in both jaws, one row laterally ; 

 vomerine teeth in two series, each numbering from four to six ; palate 

 edentulous. Second or third spine of the first dorsal the longest, 1"25-1'60 

 in the length of the head ; rayed dorsal one half the height of the spinous, 

 but with a slightly longer base : the anal commences beneath the second or 

 third dorsal ray, its second spine being iiearly as long as the first ray : the 

 ventrals do not quite reach to the vent, and are four fifths of the length of 

 the head: pectorals short, about equal in length to the ventrals, extending 

 backwards to the ninth or tenth scale of the lateral line : caudal forked, the 

 least height of its pedicle somewhat less than the intradorsal space. Scales 

 in four series between the dorsal fins, in three between the eye and the angle 

 of the preopercle, and in two on the opercle. Tubes of the lateral line 

 profusely branched, especially anteriorly. 



Colors. — General color carmine, the upper surfaces, especially the head, 

 with a purple gloss ; abdominal region silvery ; cheeks ornamented with 

 narrow light blue bands : fins immaculate, or with faint silvery spots and 

 lines. 



None of the Eed Mullets examined in the preparation of this work showed 

 any signs of breeding, that is from December to March inclusive, and as 

 nothing is mentioned on the subject in the report of the Eoyal Commission, 

 it may be inferred that nothing is known regarding this important function 

 so far as our two species are concerned. Writing of the British species 

 {Midhis larlaius) Dunn {vide Day, Brit. Fish. i. p. 21) states : — "They shed 

 only a little at a time, continuing their spawning probably over a month, and 

 differing from all other fish I know. They get very fat at this time." It 

 would be interesting to ascertain whether our species have the same curious 

 habit. 



Their food consists of small crustaceans, isopods, worms, molluscs, &c. 

 As a table fish the European Red Mullet has been noted as a luxury since 

 the time of the Eoman Empire, but though we have frequently eaten both 

 the species included in this work, having had them cooked in various ways, 

 we are constrained to class them as, at the best, but second rate fishes ; when 

 obtained in a perfectly fresh state they are tolerably well flavored, but soft, and 

 so quickly deteriorate. The Eed Mullets rarely take a bait, the principal 

 means of capturing them being by the trawl and trammel nets, and until these 

 are in more common use in our seas our markets are not likely to receive 

 more than an intermittent supply of these fishes, and that only during the 

 summer months when they come shorewards into the warm waters of our 

 bays and estuaries. 



They are probably common around the greater part of the Australian 

 coast, but they have not as yet been recorded from the northern or western 

 shores. They occur along the entire seaboard of New South AVales, and 

 penetrate rivers as far as the influence of the tide is felt. In Victoria, Avhere 

 according to Castelnau it is called " Eed Gurnet," it is " greatly esteemed, 

 and realises a high price in the Melbourne fish market" (Saville Kent), 

 while Lucas adds that it is " not very common," this being probably due to 



