Prince. — New Zealand Fisheries 125 



FLAT FISHES OF VARIOUS SPECIES. 



Of soles and flat fishes, there are many species. The 

 New Zealand sole, Peltorhamphus, is very highly 

 esteemed, while the so-called turbot, Ammotretes, and 

 the brill and the lemon sole (Pelotretis) are very com- 

 mon and of very good quality, but the Megrim (Caulop- 

 setta) and Sand flounder {Rhombus solea) though ex- 

 tremely abundant, are very much inferior in quality. 



THE ESTEEMED MULLET. 



Mention must be made of the Mullet (Mugil) which 

 has been caught in large quantities in the northern 

 estuaries, 150 dozen being taken at one "set" on the 

 Kaipara River. It has also been canned, and like all 

 the Mullet family, is a most delicate and delicious fish. 



A curious Chimaeroid fish is surprisingly plentiful. It 

 is the Elephant Fish (Callorhynchus) and most gro- 

 tesque in shape, though handsome, owing to its bright 

 silvery coloration. The flesh is white and firm and might 

 be utilized if public prejudice against the sharks and 

 their congeners could be overcome. 



LOBSTERS, OYSTERS, ETC. 



Of the Crustacea, the reddish spiny lobster, Jasus Ed- 

 wardsii, is extremely abundant, and may be captured in 

 enormous quantities along the shores generally. The 

 flesh is not quite so delicate in flavor as the true lobster, 

 but as in Cape Colony, there is ample scope in New Zea- 

 land for a lobster canning industry, the spiny lobster 

 being not only extremely plentiful, but of large size. It 

 must be added that there is practically no claw meat in 

 this species as the nipping claws are very small. 



The oysters of New Zealand are very remarkable as 

 one kind is dredged in fairly deep water and another kind, 

 the delicious and delicate rock oyster, is found coating 

 the rocks over large extents of the coast. This latter 

 oyster, Ostrea glomerata, Gould, is cup-like in form, and 



