EDIBLE FISHES OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 45 



by the name o£ " Sweep." It is also a native o£ New Zealand waters, where 

 it is known as the Perch. 



The largest example obtained in our market measured twenty three inches. 



In order to distinguish it from G. tricuspidata I have adopted the trivial 

 name " Ludrick," which is given to it by the G-ippsland Aborigines. 



GIEELLA CYAXEA. 



Girella cyanea, Macleay, Catal. Aust. Fish. i. p. lOS, 1S81 ; Ogilbv, Proc. 

 Zool. Soc. 1887, p.393. 



Bluefish. 



B. vi. D. 15-14 ;'12-13. A. 3/11. Y. 1/5. P. 19-20. C. 17. L. lat. 51-57. 

 L. tr. 11/25-28. Csec. pyl. num. Yert. 11/16. 



Length o£ head 4-G6-5-33, of caudal fin 400-180, height of body 

 2-75-3G0 in the total length. Diameter of eye 3-75-4-40 in the length of 

 the head, 1"33-1"75 in that of the snout, and 1"25-1'75 in the convex inter- 

 orbital space. Upper profile of head slightly convex. Upper jaw the longer. 

 Cleft of mouth small and transverse, the maxilla reaching to beneath the 

 posterior nostril : height of preorbital 1'00-1"25 in its length. Opercle with 

 a flat spinous point, which is sometimes divided : vertical limb of the pre- 

 opercle inclining slightly backwards, feebly denticulated, except in very old 

 examples where it is entire ; lower limb smooth. A pluriserial band of 

 tricuspid teeth in the jaws, the outer row strong, compressed, and functional, 

 separated from the others by an interspace ; small patches of deeply imbedded 

 teeth, similar to the non-functional incisors teeth, generally present on the 

 vomer and on the anterior portion of the palatines. Dorsal spines of 

 moderate strength, increasing in length to about the eighth, whence there is 

 little or no difference to the last, which is 2'25-2'80 in the length of the head ; 

 the rays are subequal in height to the spines ; base of rayed portion one half 

 to four sevenths of that of the spinous: the anal commences beneath the 

 origin of the soft dorsal, and its rays are much longer than those of that fin ; 

 the third spine is much stronger and but little shorter than the longest 

 dorsal spines; the outer margin of the anal rays is obliquely truncated : 

 ventrals not extending to the vent, 120-l"40 in the length of the head: 

 l^ectorals moderate, 1"00-1"25 in the same : caudal deeply emarginate, with 

 acute lobes ; the least height of the pedicle equal to the distance between 

 the base of the last dorsal ray and the origin of the caudal. Scales moderate, 

 feebly ctcnid, firmly adherent ; those on the throat much smaller and more 

 oblong in shape ; head scales deeply imbedded : dorsal and anal fins with 

 a basal scaly sheath, and rows of minute scales between the rays and spines, 

 with the exception of the three anterior dorsal spines. Lateral line with a 

 long slight curve to the end of the dorsal ; its tubes simple. 



Colors. — Upper parts bright blue, the body with numerous golden spots, 

 which decrease in number with age ; below pale blue. 



The Bluefish is much less common in the Sydney market than either of 

 the two species of Girella previously mentioned ; and it is also noticeable 

 that all the examples so obtained are very large ; they are in all probability 

 much more abundant than is generally supposed, but being purely ocean 

 fishes, which do not enter rivers and estuaries for the purpose of spawning, 

 they do not come within the scope of the ordinary net fishermen, and such 

 as find their way to the market are taken by the professional line fishermen. 

 A large female example caught off Botany Heads during the month of 



