38 NEW SOUTH WALES 



III — Fam. MULLID^. 



Body rather low, sliglitly compressed, covered with thin scales, with 

 or without extremely fine serrations ; two long movable barbels. 

 Lateral line continuous. Mouth, like the last family ; cleft rather 

 short ; teeth veiy feeble. Eye like the last. Two short dorsal fins 

 remote from one another, the first with feeble spines ; anal like the 

 second dorsal, ventrals with one spine and five rays. Pectorals short, 

 Branchiostegals four, stomach siphonal. 



This family is known as '' Red Mullets." They are marine fishes, 

 but many species enter into brackish water. They are more tropical 

 than temperate, but extend into both seas. None attain to a large size, 

 but all are very highly esteemed as food. They are caught with the net. 

 We have in Port Jackson U2Mneoides vlamingii, Cuv. and Yal., a red 

 fish with a violet spot on each scale, and violet oblique streaks on the 

 cheeks ; and Upeneus porosus, a red fish with two silvery streaks be- 

 tween the eye and the mouth, parts above the lateral line darker, and 

 the spinous dorsal blackish. The diff"erences between these two genera 

 is that Upeneoides has teeth on both jaws, on the vomer and palatine 

 bones, and Upeneus has teeth in both jaws in a single series and none 

 on the palate. The name of this family is a source of much confusion. 

 It is derived from the Latin word Midlus, which in the form of 

 " Mullet " we apply to the well-known fishes of quite a different family, 

 the Mugilid(B. Another fish to which the term " Ped Mullet " is 

 applied is of the family Cottidce or Gurnards. The Greek for these 

 fishes is " Trigle," which Oppian derives fi'om their breeding thrice a 

 year. Tlie Italian name is still " Triglia." An extraordinary value was 

 set on these fish by the Romans in the time of the Cfesars. This was 

 Mullus harhatus. Pliny, Seneca, Horace, Juvenal bear witness to the 

 extravagance of the wealthy of those times with regard to this fish. 

 Nothing was considered more entertaining than to watch the change of 

 its beautiful coloiirs when expiring, and then when dressed it was the 

 grand dish of the feast. 



IV.-Fam. SPARID^ or SEA BREAMS. 



Body compressed, oblong, covered with scales, the serrature of which 

 is sometimes absent. Mouth and eye like the last. Either cutting 

 teeth in front or molar teeth on the side of the jaws, palate generally 

 without teeth. Dorsal single with nearly equal spinous and soft portions. 

 Three spines on anal. Lower rays of pectoral branched, with one excep- 

 tion {Haplodactylus). Yentrals thoracic, with one spine and five rays. 



This is a most important family of fishes, which though generally 

 small are nearly all useful. They are divided into four groups, from the 

 form of the teeth. In the first the teeth are incisors in front of the jaws 

 (black-fish of Port Jackson). In the second the teeth are the same, but 

 the pectoral rays are not branched. In the third there is a single series of 

 incisors in front, with several series of rounded molars in the sides. In 

 the fourth the jaws have conical teeth in front, molar teeth on the side, 

 especially adapted for crushing small shells, crabs, &c. This division 

 includes our most abundant market fish, such as black bream, common 

 bream, schnapper, &c. 



