26 



PLEURONECTIDyE. 



Although we have no less than ten species of flat-fish 

 inhabiting Port Jackson, the supply is meagre and uncer- 

 tain ; in fact, the only species which afford us articles of 

 food ZX& Pseudo-rhombus russellii, P. multiviaculatus, Arno- 

 glossus bleckeri, all of which are known locally as flounders, 

 and the sole {Synaptum nigra, Macleay). The former are 

 tolerably good fish ; the latter is a great delicacy, far 

 superior to any sole, brill, or flounder that comes into the 

 English market. Having recently made the experiment, I 

 may be permitted to speak confidently on this subject. 

 Two other very delicious fishes, although found only 

 during the summer months, are Solea niacleayana and vS. 

 microcephala. The latter is seldom met with in any 

 quantity ; the former, only lately discovered, inhabits also 

 the freshwater streams. Two other species, LoJ)honectes, 

 sp. n., and Tapirisolea, sp., have been recently brought up 

 by the trawl. It is not unlikely, when trawling is resorted 

 to in the waters of Port Jackson and the adjacent coast, 

 that we shall have a regular supply of the most delicious 

 food-fish. It may interest the naturalist to know that the 

 following species frequent the harbour of Port Jackson : — 

 Pseudo-rhombus russellii, P. Dudtimacidatus, Tapirisolea, sp., 

 Arnoglossus bleekeri, Tetrorhoinbus excisiceps, Synaptura 

 nigra, Solea macleay ana, S. vncrocephalus, Lophonectes 2 sp., 

 Pardachirus pavoninus, Plagusia unicolor. The last-named 

 is known under the name of the lemon sole ; it is of a 

 pale olive-yellow when alive. To the southward are found 

 Rhovibosolea monopus and Ammotretis rostratus, both good 

 table-fish. 



The flounders in Port Jackson are occasionally taken in 

 the seine, and sometimes in the trammel-net when set 



