FISH AND FISHEUIES. 75 



an unerring and powerful plunge into one of the fishes, and fixes it firmly 

 to the rock or ground. Then the struggle commences ; the second spear 

 is brought to bear, and in general accomplishes the work of death. 



"The gruper is often decoyed from its hiding place by oysters and 

 shells broken, or crabs broken up and thrown out as berley ; then the 

 cunning and dexterity, added to which the patience of the black is 

 admired. There is nothing to equal his agility when he boldly pursues 

 from rock to rock the fugitive, perhaps with a broken or disabled spear, 

 and at length dashing in with his already disabled shaft he will struggle 

 hard and do his work effectually. 



" With hook and line along the rocks of our sea-coast these fishes are 

 caught, but the bait should be crabs. It is usual to wrench legs and 

 shell off" the back, and cast them out for berley. The body is then 

 secured on the hook with a piece of thread or flax and thrown out ; if 

 a gruper be at home, that is the surest way to entice him. 



"Boiled head or shoulder of a gruper is a perfect dish ; and I have 

 learned from those who are not only capable of judging but giving an 

 opinion also, that it more resembles the princely turbot than does any other 

 of the fishes of the Colony." 



The Pig-fish. 



Another species called the pig-fish, C. tcnimaculatus, Giinth. (Plate 

 XXXII), is a much smaller fish, with the pre-operculum minutely 

 serrated, and exceedingly strong anal spines. It is of a uniform red 

 colour, with a deep black spot at the base of the sixth and eighth dorsal, 

 and a small black spot on the fifth and ninth dorsal spines. 



The Rock Whiting. 



Odax, " rock whitings," have a compressed oblong body, with small 

 scales, head naked, lateral line not interrupted, dorsal spines nine. We 

 have only one species in Port Jackson, already referred to. 



The Stranger. 



Odcox has a conical snout with the edge of each jaw sharp and cutting 

 without distinct teeth. The Port Jackson species named is about 14 

 inches long, of a sky-blue colour, with a golden spot on each scale, or green 

 with the belly white, and with transverse black spots on the back. 

 Another species is called the "stranger" in Melbourne (0. richardsonii, 

 Giinth.) and another in Tasmania, 0. haleatus, Cuv. and Val., goes by the 

 name of "kelp-fish." A very small one in Port Jackson, of chocolate 

 brown colour with reddish fins, is called 0. hnmneus (Macleay). 



III.— Ord. ANACANTHINI. 



Vertical and ventral fins without spinous rays ; ventrals jugular, 

 thoracic or none. No pneumatic duct in air-bladder if present. 



GADID^, or COE-HSHES. 



The cod family, so largely and usefully represented in Europe and America, 

 only exists in Australia in the form of two species of Lotellacallarias and 

 /wZf'^mosa, known to the fishermen by then ames of "beardie" and "ling. " 

 They are very rare, and generally of small size. Nothing is known of their edible 

 quaUties. — R. R. C. 



