EDIBLE FISHES OF QUEENSLAND.— OGILBY. 11 



the inhabitants, chief amongst which are the Estuary Perch. As there are then 

 many more fish in a given area than previously, the fisherman is enabled to reap 

 a richer harvest with his meshing-nets and his hauling-nets. The same applies to 

 the winter time, when the fishes come down of their own free will to the open 

 water for the purpose of spawning. ' ' 



Roughley tells us that — ' ' The flesh of the Estuary Perch is firm and tasty, 

 qualities which render it a valuable and highly esteemed food amongst those who 

 dwell in the districts watered by coastal streams. In addition to this its capture 

 supplies a means of enjoyment to those far removed from the great variety of 

 fishes to be found in the coastal waters." He continues it "is rarely seen in the 

 markets during the summer months. When the fish congregate at the mouths of 

 the rivers, usually during June, July, and August, the markets are kept fairly 

 well supplied." 



Mr. H. K. Anderson considers that the Bass is undeniably the premier 

 game fish, whether native or introduced, of the Australian rivers. 



Dimensions: — Stead remarks — "Though a weight of 5 lb. is attained by 

 this fish, examples of that size are quite uncommon ; the more usual size, as seen iu 

 the markets, varying from about 12 oz. to 2 lb." Tenison Woods mentions one of 

 7-| lb, With reference to this weight I remarked — "As many persons are 

 sceptical of this weight it may be worth mentioning that the writer has seen a 

 specimen, which had been retrieved at the Hamilton Wall, Brisbane River, after 

 an unsatisfactory encounter with a shark. This fish was weighed in my presence, 

 and turned the scale at 6 lb. 12 oz., notwithstanding that a large lump had beeu 

 bitten out of its flank as cleanly as if done by a surgeon's knife."* 



Range: — Rivers and estuaries of Southern and Eastern Australia from 

 the Murray River, S.A., to the Pine River, S.Q. Rivers of Northern Tasmania, 



PLECTROPLITES Gill. 

 Plectroplites Gill, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1862, p. 236 (amhiguus) : typonym only; 



id., ibid., 1863, p. 286 ; Bleeker, Arch. Neerl. Sci, Nat., xi, 1876, p. 267. 

 Ctenolates Giinther, Proc. Zool. Soe. London, 1871, p. 320 {macquariensis = amhiguus) ; 



Eamsay & Ogilby, Proc. Linn. Soc. N. S. Wales, xii, 1887, p. 183; Boulenger, Catal.- 



Percif. Fish., 1895, p. 133. 



Body subovate and compressed. Scales small, adherent, finely ctenoid, the 

 exposed surface concentrically striated, arranged in regular series. Lateral line 

 complete, not continued on the caudal fin, the tubes straight, not extending to 

 the margin of the scale. Head large, with more or less concave upper profile and 

 long pointed snout, partly naked, the mucigerous system strongly developed. 

 Mouth terminal and protractile, with moderate, oblique cleft, the lower jaw 

 projecting; maxillary almost w^holly exposed, only the upper edge slipping 

 beneath the preorbital when the mouth is shut, naked; supramaxillary present. 

 Jaws, vomer, and palatines armed with villiform teeth, the premaxillary and 

 mandibular bands interrupted at the symphysis; pterygoids and tongue smooth. 



* Ogilby, Commercial Fishes and Fisheries of Queensland, p. 14, footnote 9. 



