60 EDIBLE FISHES OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 



median and a pair of lateral longitudinal grooves, in the latter of which 

 the nostrils are pierced ; nostrils with a raised skinny margin, the 

 anterior elongate-oval, oblique, provided posteriorly with a flap, which 

 entirely conceals its hinder moiety ; posterior oval and much smaller; both 

 nostrils directed backwards. Jaws with a band of villiform teeth, which are 

 scarcely visible above the gums. The dorsal fin commences above the angle 

 of the preopercle ; the spines are rather weak, longer than the rays, the 

 fourth or fourth and fifth the longest, 2"50-2"70 in the length of the head ; 

 base of tlie spinous portion three fourths of that of the soft : the anal com- 

 mences beneath the eleventh or twelfth dorsal ray, and terminates beneath 

 the seventeenth to twentieth ; the second spine is not so long as but is 

 stronger than the third, which is from 3"2u-3'75 in the length of the head, 

 and not half the length of the anterior ray ; outer edge of anal rays truncate 

 with a posterior rounded margin, the anterior more than twice as long as the 

 middle dorsal rays : the ventrals commence opposite to the tenth dorsal 

 sj)ine, and reach to or not quite to the vent, their length being from I"o0-1'75 

 in that of the head: pectoral fins with normally six, sometimes seven, simple 

 rays, the second the longest, reaching to or but little beyond the vent, and 

 equal to, or as much as one fourth longer, than the head : caudal forked, 

 the least height of its pedicle 4"6G in the height of the body. Snout and 

 preorbitals naked ; remainder of the head covered with small scales: vertical 

 fins with a narrow basal scaly sheath. Lateral line gently curved through 

 out its entire length, entering the caudal pedicle near its dorsal margin. 



Colors. — General color of the body bluish-silvery, each scale with a 

 reddish-brown margin which is much broader above than below ; two or 

 three oblique silvery bands on the posterior portion of the tail, whicli are 

 very conspicuous in immature examples but almost obsolete in adults ; head 

 reddish-brown; an orange band, broadest in front, round the eye, except on 

 the supraorbital region ; chin and branchiostegals silvery, with a chestnut patch 

 between them ; anterior margin of pectoral region orange : dorsal reddish- 

 brown, the rays narrowly edged with orange ; anal and ventrals black, with 

 or without a bluish submarginal band ; pectorals pale brown, with a small 

 axillary spot and the elongate portions of the simple rays red ; caudal 

 reddish-brown basally, deepening almost to black behind, and with a broad 

 orange posterior margin. 



The Australian Carp differs so much from all the other Chilodactyli that 

 it is difficult to understand how Tenison Woods has so confounded it with 

 its congeners, as to figure the same species twice under different names. 



Notwithstanding that the Carp is found in moderate numbers along our 

 coast at all seasons of the year, and freely enters our harbors and estuaries, 

 where it doubtless breeds, since the young are taken there by seine, trawl, 

 and hook, nothing definite can be learned as to its manner of breeding. 

 As stated by the Eoyal Commission, it " is more of a rockfish (than the two 

 preceding species), being frequently taken in the harbor in nets," but with 

 the next sentence "it seems to be only an occasional visitor" we can by no 

 means agree ; the adults are in fact fairly common on the outside reefs and 

 rocky shores throughout the year, though apparently in greater numbers 

 during the warmer months ; in such places they are chiefly caught by hook and 

 line ; they are among the most common as well as the most handsome fishes 

 to be found in our aquaria. Tenison Woods states that the aboriginal 

 name is " Bingatti." 



As food this is one of the best fishes of the Colony, and is obtainable at a 

 moderate price, but, as is unfortunately the case with so many of our fishes, 

 there is no special fishery for them, and, except in the case of the immature 



