EDIBLE FISHES OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 



Black Rock-Cod. 



Plate II. 



B.vii. D.ll/l^.A. 3/S. V. 1/5. P. 18.C. 17. L. 1. 110-122. L.tr. 23/5S-GL. 

 Coec. pyl. num. Vert. 10/14. 



Length of head 2-70-3-00, of caudal fin 5-25-575, height of body 

 3'75-4'20 in the total length. Diameter of eye 5'50-7'00 in the length 

 of the head, and 1'00-1'66 in that of the snout, which is obtusely rounded : 

 interorbital space flat, 1'20 — ^I'SO in the diameter of the eye. Upper profile 

 of head slightly convex. Lower jaw the longer. Cleft of mouth large and a 

 little oblique ; maxilla remif orm, extending to beneath the posterior margin of 

 the eye in immature, to half a diameter behind the eye in adult, examples. Pre- 

 opercle with a shallow emargination above the angle ; the vertical limb 

 finely serrated, the angle more coarsely so : opercle with three strong spines, 

 the middle being the longest. Java's with a pair — rarely two pairs — of 

 anterior canines ; mandible with several series of stout, sharp, cardiform 

 teeth, the inner row being the larger ; maxilla with similar but longer teeth 

 in front, and an outer enlarged row laterally, inside of which is a baud of 

 minute teeth ; vomer with an angular, palatines with a narrow elongate 

 band of small cardiform teeth. Dorsal spines strong, the third or fourth 

 the longest, 3"20-3"GG in the length of the head, the others very gradually 

 decreasing in height to the last; rays subequal, longer than the spines : the 

 anal commences beneath the anterior dorsal ray, and ends a little in front 

 of the termination of that fin ; the third spine is a little longer than the 

 second, and is about equal in length to the second dorsal spine ; the rays 

 are considerably longer than those of the dorsal, and about twice as long 

 as the third spine : length of the ventral about two thirds of the distance 

 between its origin and the vent, and from 2'25-2'60 in the length of the 

 head : pectorals rounded, their length 1"80-2'00 in the same : caudal 

 rounded, the least height of the pedicle from 2'50-3'00 in the height of the 

 body. Scales minute, ctenid, firmly adherent ; the vertical fins with a 

 row between the basal half of the rays ; snout, upper half of the pre- 

 orbital, and the maxilla scaleless. Lateral line following the curvature 

 of the back. 



Colors. — Body and fins deep blue black, uniform in the adult : young 

 examples with or without scattered lighter spots on the sides of the head and 

 body, and a black spot crossing the caudal pedicle above : spinous dorsal 

 with a darker, soft dorsal and anal with a lighter submarginal band. 



Although Avell known to be one of the best and highest priced of our 

 edible fishes, and to be present in large numbers along our coastline at least 

 as far south as Jervis Bay, absolutely nothing is known as to its habits 

 during the season of reproduction, nor to the places selected for the deposi- 

 tion of the ova ; this, it is most probable, is upon rocky weed -covered ground 

 at a moderate depth. They are only taken by line, and being exceedingly 

 voracious are easily hooked, but from their great strength and the deter- 

 mination witli which they fight for their lives very heavy tackle has to be 

 employed for their capture. They affect bold rocky coasts and islands only, 

 and are never found on the sandy beaches. 



Fishes, crustaceans, mollusca and radiata, form the greater portion of its 

 food. Examples weighing up to fifteen pounds are excellent for the table, 

 but beyond that weight they grow coarser, the very large examples being 

 almost uneatable. 



