FISH AND FISHERIES. 67 



signifying its habit of spawning tlmce a year ; but Athenpeus affirms 

 that this species only breeds three times in all. The tradition is Avorth 

 bearing in mind. 



Fam. COTTID^. 



Body oblong, subcylindrical, mouth-cleft lateral, feeble teeth in 

 rilliform bands. Head with spines and a bony stay connects the preo- 

 percular spine with the infraorbital ring. Two dorsal fins (rarely one), 

 spinous less developed than the soft or the anal. Ventrals with live or 

 less than five soft rays. 



These fishes are small, remaining generally on the bottom in shallow 

 water. 



The Flathead. 



(Plate XXV.) 



Platycephalus is easily distinguished by its depressed head, and body 

 which becomes cylindrical towards the tail. About forty species are 

 known, of which some attain the length of 2 feet. They live on the 

 bottom in shallow water, hidden in the sand, the colours of which their 

 bodies resemble. They are scarce near islands or deep seas, but the 

 number of species is considei^able in the temperate portions of the Aus- 

 tralian coast, where the bottom is sandy. " Their long and strong 

 ventral fins are of great use to them in locomotion." — Giinther. 



The " flatheads " of the coast are Platycephalus fuscux, levigafns, basse)isis, and 

 cirronasus. Of these, the first, P. /uncus, is the flatliead best known and most 

 common in Port Jackson. All the species are of excellent quality, and may be 

 ranked amongst the best of our fishes. Like the red rock cod the fiatliead is a 

 ground fish, but is found on a sandy bottom only, and generally at only a 

 moderate deptli. It is taken both by the hook and net. But little information is 

 attainable about the history of the fiathead, but it seems to come into tliis harbour 

 full of spawn in midsummer, and probably deposits its ova on the sandy banks in 

 tolerably deep water. — R.R.C. 



Some of the species of flathead will venture up the rivers into fresh 

 water. Thus P. fuscus comes up the river Hunter as far as West 

 Maitland, where it is caught abundantly by the anglers in summer. 



Of Flatijcephalus fusctis, Cuv. & Val., Mr. Hill says: — "They are 

 ground fishes and bite freely in the summer season, but retire into deeper 

 water during the colder months of the winter, where they might also be 

 caught with the line. Of a calm day it is usual to let the boat drift over 

 the ground, which is generally sandy, when occasionally they bite freely. 

 I have often known fifteen or twenty dozen hauled up, and as fast as the 

 line could be put over. They are sluggish fishes, and do not give much 

 sport ; the very large ones of 3 or 4 feet in length, which are at times 

 caught with the line, have pretty good strength, but are soon exhausted. 

 The flesh is good, white, firm, and flaky, and it is preferred when boiled. 

 Some consider the flathead a fine fish. Certainly its outward appearance 

 Avhen dead does not recommend it. 



" The flathead is armed with a double thorn over each gill operculum* 

 and which give a bad laceration, afterwards accompanied with pain- 

 Care must be taken in removing them from the hook that these bones 

 do not come in contact ; the usual plan is to give the fish a tap on the 



