44 EDIBLE riSHES OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 



GIEELLA SIMPLEX. 



Crenidens simplex, Eichards. Toy. Erebus & Terror, Eish. p. 120.,18i6. 

 GireJIa simplex, Gnth. Catal. Eish. i. p. 429; Macleay, Catal. Austr. Eish. 



i. p. 107; McCoy, Prodr. Zool. Vic. dec. viii. ])1. 73 ; Johnston, Proc. 



Eoy. Soc. Tas. 18S2, pp. 09, 111 ; Sherrin, Handb. N.Z. Eish. p. 71. 

 Melanichthys simplex, Castchi. Proc. Zool. Soc. Vict. 1872, i. p. 68. 

 Girella ^j^rco/W^?*, Hector, Trans. N. Z. Inst. vii. p. 243, pi. x. f. QD,and is. p. 



4G8, pi. viii. f. Gc. 



Ludrick. 



B. vi. D. lo-l 1/12-13. A. 3/12. A'. 1,5. P. 17. C. 17. L. lat. 50-53. L. Ir. 

 11/20-24. Coec. pyl. num. A'ert. 11/16. 



Length of head 4 '50-5 00, o£ caudal fin 4 75, height of body 2'75-3'00 in 

 the total length. Diameter of eye 3"80^00 in the length of the head, 

 1'40-1"60 in that of the snout, and 1*50 in the convex interorbital space. 

 Snout convex ; occiput almost flat. Upper jaw the longer. Cleft of mouth 

 small and transverse, the maxilla not quite extending to the posterior nostril. 

 Opercle with a flat spine, which is sometimes bifid: vertical limb of pre- 

 opercle straight, but inclining slightly backwards, the rounded angle distinctly 

 serrated. Jaws with two or three irregular series of compressed incisors, 

 having the cutting edge entii'e and moderately broad ; behind them a broad 

 band of small tricuspid ones ; a curved band of minute teeth on the vomer 

 present or absent ; a small pyriform patch on the palatines. Dorsal 

 spines rather strong, increasing in length to the eighth, which is about 2"66 

 in the length of the head ; rayed dorsal subequal in height to the spinous, 

 its basal length about half of the base of the same : the anal commences 

 beneath the last or penultimate dorsal spine ; its rays are much longer than 

 those of the dorsal, and their outer margin is truncate ; the third spine is a 

 little longer than the second, and 3"20-3'33 in the length of the head : 

 ventrals not extending to the vent, their length l'50-r6G in that of the 

 head : pectoral moderate, 1"20-1'50 in the same : caudal emarginate, with 

 moderately pointed lobes. Scales moderate, feebly ctenid, firmly adherent; 

 those on the throat smallest and elongate ; cheek scales small and deeply 

 imbedded : streaks of small scales between the dorsal and anal rays, and the 

 dorsal spines except tlie first three. Lateral line gently curved to the end 

 of the dorsal ; its tiibes simple. 



Colors. — Above brown, with a purple tinge, becoming lighter on the 

 sides ; abdominal region whitish or yellowish : sides of the head and the 

 pectoral fins yellowish. 



This species is not nearly so plentiful as is the preceding, from the dark 

 variety of which it may usually be distinguished by its generally lighter 

 colors and from the lighter variety by the absence of bands, which, if present 

 at any stage of growth, do not appear to be ever persistent, as in its congener, 

 which it resembles in all respects in habits, &c., and with which it is con- 

 founded by the fishermen. 



It inhabits the entire seaboard of Xew South Wales and ranges north- 

 wards along the Queensland coast at least as far as Murray Island. In 

 Victoria Lucas gives it as an inhabitant of the " Grippsland Lakes," and as 

 " not very uncommon in Port Pliillip." McCoy remarks : — " This is one of 

 the best fishes for the table found in Victoria, but is not well known to the 

 public or to the dealers, although abundant in the Gippsland Lakes." 

 Further westward we have no record ; in Tasmania it is common, and goes 



