EDIBLE PISHES OF NEW SOUTH WAXES. 



E. armatus is abundant in the bays and estuaries of South-eastern 

 Australia from Moreton Bay to Port Pbillip, and, though it has not been so 

 far recorded, is probably found in similar spots in northern Tasmania. Its 

 westward range extends at least as far as fSt. Vincent's Gulf, from which 

 locality Castelnau received specimens from Waterhouse. In addition to the 

 trivial name used here it is known at Melbourne as " Bastard Dory " owing 

 to its shape and the prolongation of the rays of the vertical fins, and 

 "Zebra-fish" from its striped appearance. It attains to a length of nine 

 inches in Port Jackson, but referring to the Melbourne market Castelnau 

 states that " in winter the specimens are small and do not measure more 

 than from four to six inches ; but in the warm months (December and 

 January) they are much larger, and some are nearly a foot long." He 

 further remarks that these large examples are generally females with well 

 developed ova ; the breeding season, therefore, in the southern Colony would 

 appear to be the latter part of the summer. 



Family II.— SERRANID^. 



Branchiostegals seven, rarely six or eight : pseudobranchia) present. Body 

 oblong or ovate. Eyes lateral. Opercles denticulated or epiniferous. 

 Mouth in front of the snout, with lateral cleft, which is slightly oblique. 

 Teeth in the jaws villiform, with or without canines : teeth on the vomer 

 and palatines : absent or present on the tongue. Dorsal fin generally 

 continuous : ventrals thoracic. Scales ctenid, rarely eyelid, small or of 

 moderate size. Lateral line continuous. Airbladder present, simple. Pyloric 

 appendages in small or moderate numbers, or numerous. 



Geograpliical disirihiition. — Carnivorous fishes of tropical and temperate 

 seas, sometimes ascending rivers. 



Genus I.— SERRANUS. 



Serranus, sjJ. Cuvier, Kegne Anim.; Cuv. & Yal. Hist. Isat. Poiss. ii. 



p. 210, 1828. 



Branchiostegals seven : pseudobrauchia) present. Body oblong. Eyes 

 lateral, of moderate size. Opercle with two or three flat spines : preoj^ercle 

 Avith its vertical limb moi'e or less serrated, and its horizontal one usually 

 entire. Teeth villiform, with distinct canines present in both jaws : teeth 

 on the vomer and palatines : tongue naked. One dorsal fin with from eight 

 to twelve spines : the anal with three. Scales small, ctenid or eyelid. 

 Pyloric appendages in large, moderate, or small numbers. 



The Sea Perches frequent the coasts of all temperate and tropical 

 countries, and sometimes ascend to a great distance up rivers for predatory 

 purposes, one species having been found as high up the Ganges as the 

 confines of Xepal ; none, however, so far as has been ascertained spawn in 

 fresh water. About one hundred and fifty species are known, many of 

 which are most handsomely colored. (Gunther, Study of Fishes, p. 381.) 



SEEEANUS DiEMELI. 



Serranus damelii, Gnth. Ann, Nat, Hist. (4) 187G, xvii. p. 391; 

 Casteln. Proc. Linn. Soc. N. S, Wales, iii, p. 365 ; Macleay, Proc. 

 Linn. Soc. N. S. Wales, viii, p, 254 ; Woods, Eiaher. N, S. Wales, 

 p. 33. 



