EDIBLE EISHES OE NEW SOUTH WALES. 59 



its occurrence on the northern, western, or south-western shores of the 

 continent, while the occurrence of a single specimen at Port Essington, as 

 recorded by Giinther, cannot he regarded, supposing the locality to be 

 correct, but as accidental for a fish which is so markedly a denizen of cold 

 water strata. Of its scarcity on the New South Wales coast it is unneces- 

 sary to say more than that the high price which both this and the preceding 

 species command in the Sydney market is ample evidence of the estimation 

 in which both species are held. Of its abundance or otherwise on the 

 Victorian coast it is difficult to judge, as Lucas, who does not appear to 

 know the fish, merely mentions it tersely as found " off South Coast, 

 Castelnau," while from the latter author's words we might infer that it is a 

 common market fish in Melbourne. In Tasmania the " Silver Perch," (C. 

 macropteriis) as it is there called is, Johnston writes, " next in importance 

 to the Trumpeter group as regards quality and supply. . . . The 

 young are to be caught on the numerous rocky banks, in three to four 

 fathoms water, in the upper bays of the estuaries, especially in those of the 

 Derwent. They are in this, state found in more or less abundance all the 

 year round, and are highly esteemed for the breakfast table."" Eeferriug to 

 New Zealand Hector writes of the Tarahiki, the Maori name for our 

 Jackassfish : — "This is a very common fish in the market, and comes into 

 season in September. Two sizes are generally sold during the spring 

 months — the smaller ones, three or four to the pound, being the best ; the 

 flesh of the larger fish, which are three to six pounds weight, being considered 

 rather tasteless. 



Johnston considers that the Silver Perch (C macropterus) and the Black 

 Perch (C aspersus) are merely local varieties of a most variable species, and 

 from the evidence adduced I see no reason to doubt the correctness of his 

 surmise. To quote his own words : — " The Black Perch ((7. aspersus) is most 

 probably a mere' variety of O. meter opt ertis. The former is found invariably 

 upon a rocky bottom, and the latter upon a sandy bottom, and the color is, 

 undoubtedly, the result of the difference in local environment." " The 

 Black Perch is only distinguished from the Silver by its condition and 

 quality" ; and, " Generally the Black Perch is found in deeper water, and 

 attains a greater size." 



The Jackassfish grows o.i our coast to a length of at least eighteen inches. 



CHILODACTYLUS PUSCUS. 

 Chilodactylus fuscus, Casteln. Proc. Linn. Soc. N. S. "Wales, 1879, iii. 



p. 876 ; Woods, Fisher. N. S. Wales, p. 46, pis. x. xi. 

 CliiJodacfi/his (mmclaris, Casteln. Proc. Linn. Soc. JST.S. Wales, iii. p. 377. 



Carp. 

 Plate XIX. 



B. vi. D. 17/31-33. A. 3/9-10. Y. 1/5. P. 14. C. 15. L. lat. 58-62 L. tr. 



8-9/18-19. Coec. pyl. 4. Vert. 14/2 L 

 • Length of head 3-75-4'25, of caudal fin 4-50-5'00, height of body 

 3-00-3 40 in the total length. Eye large and prominent, 4-00-4-61) in the 

 length of the head, 1-25-2-00 in that of the snout, and about equal to the 

 interorbital space, which is almost flat. Upper profile of head concave from 

 above the posterior half of the eyes. Lips lleshy. Upper jaw the longer; the 

 maxilla extends to beneath the posterior nostril, or between that and the 

 eye ; a blunt process in front of the antcro-superior margin of the eyes ; and 

 in old examples a similar process anteriorly on the snout. Snout with a 



