EDIBLE EISHES OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 13 



Wirrah. 



B. vii. D. 13/15. A. 3 S. Y. 1/5. P. 19-20. C. 17. L. lat. ca. 100. L. tr. 

 23-24 58-60. Ccec. pyl. 9. Yert. lO/lG. 



Length of head 2-80-3-00, of caudal fin 5-6G-6-00, height of body 3 00-3 6G 

 in the total length. Eve small, situated high up on the head, its diameter 

 5"50-5"80 in the length of the head, and I'oO in that of the snout : 

 interorbital space slightly convex, its breadth 1'33-1'GG in the diameter 

 of the eye. Jaws equal. Cleft of mouth wide and oblique, the maxilla 

 almost reaching to beneath the posterior margin of the orbit. Opercle 

 with three spines, the middle being the longest, the lower minute : preopercle 

 rounded, the vertical limb and angle coarsely serrated, the horizontal limb 

 with three strong teeth pointing forwards and downwards, the posterior one 

 being the longest. Jaws with a broad band of villiform teeth, and an 

 outer row of stronger ones, the largest teeth being at the mandibular sym- 

 physis ; an angular band of small teeth on the vomer, and narrow, elongate 

 bands on the palatines. The dorsal commences above the opercular spines ; 

 its spines are strong, the fourth or fifth the longest, rather less than one third 

 of the length of the head ; the rayed dorsal is equal to or higher than the 

 spinous, and its outer margin is evenly rounded ; the length of its base is 

 1"75 in that of the spinous portion: the anal commences beneath the third 

 dorsal ray, and does not extend quite so far back as that fin ; its outer 

 margin is rounded, and the rays are rather longer than those of the dorsal ; 

 the spines are very strong, the second the longest, 3'33-3'75 in the length of 

 the head : ventrals small, their length 1"10-1"25 in the distance between their 

 origin and tlic vent, and from 200-220 in the length of the head : pectoral 

 rounded, extending nearly to the vertical from the vent, about 1"75 in the 

 length of the head : caudal rounded, the least height of its pedicle 3"00-3'25 

 in the height of the body. Scales small, eyelid, firmly adherent, the soft 

 dorsal and anal scaly for the greater part of their height ; snout, preorbital, 

 and maxilla scalelcss. 



Colors. — Rich brown, with a golden tinge on the sides and belly; head 

 and body with numerous small round blue spots, darkest on the head and 

 back ; two or three oval blackish s^^ots behind the eye : fins immaculate dark 

 brown. 



The "Wirrah, by which name it was known to the Aboriginals of Sydney, 

 is a common fish in our markets at all seasons ; like its congeners it readily 

 takes a hook. The contents of the stomachs of those examined bv us were 

 many and various, including small fishes, crustaceans, molluscs, echinoderms, 

 starfishes, worms, and corallines. As food opinions vary ; the late Sir 

 "William Macleay considered them to be " tough and flavorless " ; Tenison 

 "Woods remarks that " the best "NYiri'ah has the flavor and consistency of 

 leather, which no sauce or cooking can change," and in connection with this 

 it may be as well to point out that the fish figured in his Avork as the 

 ""Wirrah" is a Priacanthvs. "We, however, have found that a moderate 

 sized example, of from ten to twelve inches in length, is firm and well 

 flavored when boiled. It is very tenacious of life. 



Originally described from specimens the locality of whose capture was 

 unknown, its habitat has been generally and vaguely put down as "Australian 

 seas." The coast of New South AVales is, however, the only portion of the 

 continent from which we are awaife of its having been recorded, and the 

 neighborhood of Port Jackson appears to be the head quarters of the species. 



Though the average length of specimens exposed for sale in our marl^etsis 

 from eight to twelve inches, larger ones are not uncommon, the largest 

 measured being just eighteen inches. 



