EDIBLE FISHES OF QUEEN SLANB.—OGILBY. 145 



extremity of the caudal fin. On the right side it is extended forward to the 

 preopercular region, and just before its termination throws off two sliort branches, 

 directed upwards and downwards. 



Dorsal tin with 65 to 74, anal with 50 to 55 rays, all of which, except 

 a few short ones in front and behind, are divided ; the longest rays are inserted 

 about the commencement of the last quarter of the fins (D. 48th to 53rd, A. 35th 

 to 39th), and the latter fin is a little the higher. Caudal fin broadly rounded, 

 with 18 rays, its length 5 to 5-75 in that of the body. Each ventral with 5 

 branched rays. 



Vinaceous brown, the head, body, and fins profusely ornamented with 

 lavender-gray dark-edged spots of variable shape and size, which sometimes 

 contain one or more darker dots, but are more commonly plain; usually three 

 series — dorsal, median, and ventral — of large suffused blackish spots on the 

 body ; these, however, may be broken up into more numerous and clearly defined 

 spots scattered irregularly over the side; head usually without black spots. 

 Lower surface yellowish white. (Named after my friend Charles Hedley, the 

 premier conchologist of Australia.) 



Described from 9 examples, measuring between 118 and 152 millim. ; 8 of 

 these were taken in Port Jackson, the ninth in ]\loreton Bay. 



Historical: — ^The earliest notice which we have of this fish is from the 

 pen of Count Castelnau, who introduced it into his list of Port Jackson fishes, 

 published in 1879, confounding it, however, with the preceding species. 

 Castelnau 's error was perpetuated by Macleay, Ogilby, and subsequent writers 

 on the ichthyology of New South Wales, and is only now corrected, because it 

 became necessary for me to make a thorough examination of the peacock soles 

 of Eastern Australia for the purposes of this work, when the differences between 

 the two species were at once apparent. 



Habits: — This pretty little sole is common in suitable localities in Port 

 Jackson, and probably along the greater part of the coastline of New South 

 Wales and South Queensland, at least as far north as Moreton Bay. It is, 

 however, little known anywhere along the stretch of coast referred to, escaping 

 observation because the smallness of its mouth precludes it from taking any hook 

 in ordinary use. If, however, the otter trawl were more generally employed, 

 we should possibly find that a fair supply of this delicious little fish could be 

 obtained for the market. ^^ Like its congeners this sole is entirely an inhabitant 

 of the litoral zone, preferring such localities as have a sand}', mixed sandy and 

 muddy, or gravelly bottom in from 3 to 7 fathoms water. Stead writes of it 

 as follows: — "This beautifully ornamented species is not of present economic 

 importance. It appears to be purely an estuarine fish, affecting sandy bottoms, 

 and occurring in the waters along the greater part of our coastline. It is 

 rarely seen in our markets, and is not often captured." 



Uses: — A most delicious morsel. 



^^ This at least we found to be the case in Port Jackson when, some thirty years ago, 

 it was the weekly custom of the Australian Musetmi staff, under the leadership of Dr. Ramsay, 

 to spend Saturday down the harbor with otter trawl and dredge. By this means the local 

 fauna was enriched by many scarce and not a few new species. Occasionally as many as a 

 dozen specimens of Pardachirus were caught, Rose Bay being a favorite ground. This custoni 

 might well be initiated here with much advantage to our own Maseum. 



