EDIBLE FISHES OE NEW SOUTH WALES. 63 



fore, ficlopted the name by wliicL. it is known in Victoria. With us it is only 

 found in moderately deep water, in the neighborhood of sunken ocean 

 reefs, and, consequently, is only occasionally captured, and that by hook and 

 line alone. Examples brought to the Sydney market during the early 

 months of summer are well advanced in roe. 



Alluding to Victoria McCoy remarks that it is " rather rare "; Johnston, 

 however, speaking of it in Tasmania, where it is called the "Eock Gurnard," 

 says that it is " found more abundantly on the northern coasts, is held in 

 great esteem for the table, and is obtaiued in the vicinity of G-eorge Town 

 in considerable numbers." 



In New Zealand it is known to the settlers as " Sea Perch," its Maori 

 name being " Pohuiakaroa." Hector says : — " It is one of the most fre- 

 quent and troublesome fishes, caught in a moderate depth of water roiind 

 the coast, and especially in rocky waters, being almost worthless as food." 



It does not exceed twelve inches in length on our coast. 



Genus II.— SCOEP^NA. 



Scorpcsna, Artedi, Genera. Pise. p. 47, 1738 ; Cuv. & Val. Hist. Nat. Poiss, 



iv. p. 286, 1829. 



Branchiostegals seven : pseudobranchife present. Body ovate and 

 slightly compressed. Head large, with a naked groove on the occiput, armed 

 with spines, and bearing skinny flaps, Villiform teeth on the jaws, vomer, 

 and palatines. One dorsal fin, more or less deeply notched, with twelve 

 spines : anal with three spines : pectorals large and rounded, with some of 

 the lower rays unbranched ; no free pectoral appendages. Scales moderate 

 or rather small, mixed with more or less numerous skinny appendages. 

 Airbladder absent. Pyloric appendages in small numbers. 



GeograpJiical distribution. — Tropical seas, extending northwards to the 

 Mediterranean, New York, and Japan, southwards to Tasmania and New 

 Zealand. 



SCORPJSNA CSUENTA. 



Scojpcena cruenta (Solander) Eichards. Ann. Nat. Hist. lSi2, ix. p. 217 ; 



Gnth. Catal. Pish. ii. p. 112 ; Casteln. Proc. Linn. Soc. N. S. Wales, 



iii. p. 378; Hutton. Trans. N. Z. Inst. v. pi. viii. f. 15; Macleay, Catal. 



Austr. Pish. i. p. 130. 

 Scorpcsna ergastulorum, Eichards. Ann. Nat. Hist. 1842, ix. p. 217. 

 Scorpcena inilitaris, Eichards. Voy. Ereb. & Terror, Fish. p. 22, pi. xiv. 



ff. 1, 2. 



Black-spotted Red Eock-Cod. 



Plate XX. 



B. vii. D. 12/10. A. 3/5. V. 1/5. P. 17. C. 14. L. lat. 20-21. L. tr. 8/15-17. 



Length of head 280, of caudal fin 4'50, height of body S'OO in the total 

 length. Width of head at the base of the upper preopercular spines 1'85 in 

 its length. Diameter of eye 3'85 in the length of the head, and equal to 

 that of the short, broad, rounded snout : interorbital space deeply concave, 

 its width at the median orbital spine 1"85 in the diameter of the eye. 

 Nostrils separated : the anterior of moderate size, with a low fleshy rim 

 surrounding it except for a short space in front, and "with a well developed 



