NATURAL HISTORY. 



to a great extent, they assume the place (and very often the name) 

 of the northern Cod family, here represented only by a few small 

 species. Where you find " rock-cod/' "cod-sounds," or "cod- 

 roes" in tropical trade, the term genei-ally refers to one of these 

 perches, or to some related spiny-finned fish. 



They do not seem to affect the depths of the ocean, but haunt 

 banks or reefs, from the shore to about 200 fathoms, feeding, as 

 a rule, not very far from the bottom. 



The commonest here are small rock-perches, called on Bombay 

 tables " stone-fish," of which thebest, perhaps, is the " Cock-up fish," 

 Lates calcarifer. This is a fish chiefly of the estuaries, and, where 

 permitted, it comes some way above highwater mark, and lives for 

 some time in fresh water. An allied species, the " Kargota, " or 

 " belt-fish" (Therapon Jarbua) , is often kept in wells by the natives, 

 and seems to thrive there as well as in the sea. It is a handsome 

 little fish, with deep brown bands on a whitish ground, which in 

 sunlit water look black and gold. 



The natives'call most of these rock-perches " Gobra," or " Gobri," 

 from the dull olive colours of one or two taken by them as types 

 which they compare to the colour of cowdung (gobar or govar). 



Most of the commonest belong to the genera Serranus and 

 Lutianus, and a few, such as Serranus Malabaricus, attain a rerj 

 large size ; but these are not often seen on European tables. 

 Serranus Boenack (" Bhui-nak" = "chief-fisherman,") is prettily 

 marked with sky blue, and some others have brilliant colours, but 

 these are not very common in the waters of the coast, usually more 

 or less dull with mud.* The Lutiani are more commonly bright 

 coloured than the Serrani; and, in my experience, keep further off 

 shore. One of them [Lutianus Argent imaculatus, I think,) is 

 mentioned and figured by Mr. Thomas as a fish giving sport with 

 the rod in his region. It is a very fine fish, of a deep cherry colour 

 when mature, and grows to at least 15 lbs. weight. A very closely 

 allied species, L. roseus, is the "red rock-cod, " of the Straits Settle- 

 ment. All these perches are very fair eating when fresh. I shall 

 take here, somewhat out of turn, the Scivenas, called by the natives 

 " Gul " or " rose " fish, I suppose from a faint pink blush which 

 they have on death. Some Europeans in Bombay call them " buffalo- 

 fish," which I have noted above as a Deccan name for the Mahseer. 



* Some Serrani are said to present the curious phenomena of perfect milt aiad 

 rce normally developed in the same fish. 



