EDIBLE FISHES OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 41 



equal in length to the highest dorsal spine: pectorals short and rounded, as 

 long as or a little longer than the veutrals, 1'33-1"50 in the length of the head : 

 caudal eniarginate, the least height of the pedicle two thirds of the distance 

 between the last dorsal ray and the origin of the caudal. Scales feebly ctenid, 

 extending on to the frontal protuberance, much larger on the body than on. 

 the head, those below the lateral line larger than those above it ; eighteen 

 scales between the origin of the ventral and the lateral line, and eight 

 between the latter and the base of the sixth dorsal spine. 



Colors. — Dark gray, washed with silver on the lower part of the sides ; 

 upper surface of head darkest : all the fins dark colored : irides golden and 

 silvery about equally mixed. 



The "Drummer" of the Sydney fishermen, — not of Macleay's Catalogue, 

 p. lOS, which is a perfectly distinct fish, not distinguished by them from 

 the ordinary Blackfishes — is not iincommon in Port Jackson and Broken 

 Bay, and though occasionally a dozen or more may be seen at one time in 

 the market, this is certainly the exception, not because of the rarity of the 

 fish, but owing to its habit of frequenting closely the neighborhood of 

 rocky shores and inlets where the nets in vogue here cannot be used. As 

 stated by the author in 18SG (loc. ciL), "it is a true rockfish, dwelling in 

 the crevices and indentations of our rocky shores, where it finds abundant 

 food and shelter ; it is not given to roaming, and is only taken by the 

 trammel, one end of which is attached to the shore, against which the mesh 

 must actually lie or else the fish would assuredly pass inside, w^hence it 

 happens that this fish is almost always caught within a few feet of the 

 shore." So far as I can ascertain.it is never known to take a bait. 



The breeding season is about midsummer, and the ova is probably deposited 

 in sheltered spots among weed covered rocks. 



As food the Drummer is held in little estimation, and does not readily 

 command a sale in the market, nevertheless halfgrown examples are quite 

 equal in flavor to the other herbivorous Sparids. 



Either the range of this fish is extraordinarily limited, or the local 

 naturalists to the northward have failed to recognise this very distinct 

 species ; to the south no considerable extension of range is to be expected in 

 a fish of this genus. Prom three localities only, namely, Port Jackson, 

 Broken Bay, and Port Stephens have w^e been enabled to obtain any reliable 

 record of its occurrence. 



The Drummer grows to the length of thirty inches. 



Genus II.— GIRELLA. 



Girellc, Gray, Illustr. Ind. Zool. 1830-35. 

 Melanichtliijs, Schleg. Paun. Japon. Poiss. p. 75, 1850. 

 Crenidens, sp. Richards. 



Branchiostegals six : pseudobranchife present. Body oblong-ovate and 

 compressed. Opercle with a small spine; preopercular armature rudi- 

 mentary or absent. Jaws with one or more series of functional, usually, 

 tricuspidate incisors, behind which is a pluriserial band of similar but less 

 developed teeth, destined to replace losses in the former : vomer and 

 palatines with or without a small patch of similar teeth. One dorsal tin, 

 with from thirteen to fifteen spines, which are receivable into an incomplete 

 groove : anal with three spines. Scales of moderate size, finely ctenid : 

 cheeks, occiput, and upper portion of the opercle scaly : rows of small 

 scales on the membranes of the. vertical fins. Airbladder bilobed posteri- 

 orly. Pyloric appendages in large numbers. 



