EDIBLE FISHES OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 37 



Butter Fish. 



B. vi. D. 11. 1/lG. A. 4/15-16, V. 1/5. P. 17. C. 16. Vert. 11/12 or 10/13. 



Length of head 4-00-4;-33, of caudal fin 400-4-50, height of body 2-10- 

 2'25 in the total length. Diameter of eye 3'80-4"20 in the length of the 

 head, 1'25-1'40 in that of the snout, and 1'33-1'75 in the interorbital space, 

 which is slightly convex. Nostrils approximate, the anterior round and 

 surrounded by a low raised edge, the posterior oval and a little larger. 

 Snout in front of the anterior margins of the orbits greatly swollen, the 

 occiput rising abruptly from the middle of the interorbital space. Upper 

 jaw a little the longer. Cleft of mouth small and transverse, the maxilla 

 extending to beneath the anterior nostril, or a little further. Postero- 

 inferior angle of preorbital minutely serrated : preopercle rough. Villiform 

 teeth in the jaws, with an outer enlarged row of tricuspid teeth, the central 

 cusp being the longest. The dorsal commences above the posterior angle of 

 the base of the pectoral ; the fourth spine is the longest, irom 1"20-1'60 in 

 the length of the head, and subequal to the anterior rays ; the first spine is 

 about a third of the length of the second, which is two fifths of that of the 

 third : the anal commences beneath the last dorsal spine ; its spines are strong 

 but short, the first and second the longest, scarcely as long as the second dorsal 

 spine, and not halt' the length of the anterior rays ; outer margin of rayed 

 dorsal and anal truncated : the ventral does not reach to the origin of the 

 anal ; its length is l'33-l "66 in that of the head ; the spine is nearly as long 

 as the outer ray and about equals the seventh dorsal spine in length : pec- 

 torals small and rounded, from 1'66-1"85 in the length of the head : caudal 

 emarginate, the least height of the pedicle equal in length to the snout. 

 Lateral line strongly curved to the caudal pedicle. 



Colors. — General color silvery ; upper surface and sides with six broad 

 vertical dark green bands, composed of large elongated spots, the interspaces 

 with bauds of smaller, less conspicuous spots ; sides of abdomen with two 

 or three inconspicuous longitudinal bands; lips, occiput, and two intermediate 

 bands, the anterior between the nostrils and joined mesially to the lips, the 

 posterior crossing the interorbital space, a narrow band traversing the lower 

 margin of the cheek, the upper part of the opercle, and the dorsal ridge dark 

 green; rest of upper surface of the head yellow : dorsal and anal fin rays 

 yellow, the membranes dark green; caudal yellowish anteriorly, dusky 

 posteriorly. 



During the autumn and summer months this fish appears, often in con- 

 siderable numbers, from the northern fishing stations which supply the 

 Sydney market. As a food fish it cannot be recommended, nevertheless it 

 commands a ready sale in the market, and is doubtless sold to the 

 uninitiated, after having been skinned and cooked, as " fried bream." It is 

 reported to be a very foul feeder, and this habit has gained for it the generic 

 name employed by the authors of the Histoire Naturelle des Poissons, which 

 literally means "excrement eating." Li this connection, not having any 

 data concerning our own species in which to trust, it may be as well to record 

 in what estimation its congener S. argus, — a species which is found through- 

 out the seas of India, China, and the Malay Archipelago, and is common on 

 the northern coasts of Australia, rare specimens having been recorded even 

 as far south as Sydney — is held by other observers as regards its edible 

 qualities. 



Alluding to this latter species Day writes : — " It enters back waters and 

 rivers, but is a foul feeder, and so far as I have observed is not in request as 

 f ood" ; quoting Hamilton Buchanan, he says : — " when newdy caught itis a fish 



