-1 r»i 



EDIBLE PISHES OP XETT SOUTH TTALES. loi 



strong and are noticeably compressed, subequal in length, the last3"25-4'00 

 in the length of the head ; the rays are longer than the spines, the fifth the 

 longest, one half longer than the last spine : the anal commences beneath the 

 eleventh dorsal spine, and extends further back along the caudal pedicle; the 

 third spine is the longest, 3"80-i'50 in the length of the head, and live 

 ninths of the eighth and longest ray ; all the dorsal and anal spines with a 

 short, free, terminal flap : ventral reaching to the vent, the two outer rays 

 the longest, produced considerably beyond the others, l"50-l'70in the length 

 of the head ; the spine weak, longer than the lougest dorsal spine, and but 

 little more than half the length of the outer ray : pectoral well developed, 

 pointed above, rounded below, the third ray the longest, 1'10-1"20 in the 

 length of the head : caudal truncated, w4th the upper lobe produced ; the 

 least height of the pedicle about one third of the height of the body. Scales 

 on the cheeks non-imbricate ; in four series on the opercle. Lateral line 

 tubes more or less ramose. 



Colors. — Upper part of head green, becoming gradually more tinged with 

 blue towards the snout ; cheeks and opercles olive ; mandibular region pale 

 violet ; chin sky blue ; edge of the maxillary lip with a narrow outer golden 

 and inner blue stripe ; anterior margin of the preorbital very narrowly edged 

 with blue ; an oval sky blue spot in front of the orbit, and extending to about 

 one third of its diameter : body olive brown above the lateral line, rose- 

 colored below, most of the scales on the back and caudal pedicle with a 

 medium-sized, round, blue spot ; a broad dark band runs from the fifth scale 

 of the lateral line forwards and downwards in an arcuate shape to the inferior 

 margin of the opercle: dorsal fin golden, the spinous portion with a basal, 

 median, and marginal band of blue, the two outer of which are exchanged on 

 the rays for wavy, anastomosing lines of the same shade ; anal fin gray, with 

 broad basal and marginal blue bands, bordered on the inner edge by a 

 narrower golden stripe ; ventrals bluish, the membrane between the first and 

 ■second rays golden ; pectorals gray, with two transverse golden bands in 

 front of the base, and the two outer rays and the basal third of the others 

 blue; caudal brownish with the outer rays blue, and the bases of the 

 remainder green : irides golden and crimson, with sky blue marginal spots : 

 basal half of canines and lateral teeth light blue. 



It is only during the winter months that this fish is obtainable in the 

 Sydney market, as, except at that season, no consignments come to the 

 metropolis from the northern rivers. Of those examined only one, caught 

 in July, show^ed any signs of breeding, and in this the ova were about half 

 developed, and were small and numerous. As food they are excellent, the 

 flesh being white, firm, and flaky, and in no case was any substance, except 

 the coarsely broken up remains of shells, found in the intestines. 



So far Ave have not received this Grroper from any locality south of the 

 ■Clarence River, but as it appears to be common there, it doul3tless occurs in 

 the estuaries of some of our more southern rivers, such as the Bellinger and 

 Macleay. That it does not, however, confine itself so the mouths of rivers, 

 or even to the vicinity of land, we are aware, from the fact that the naturalists 

 of the " Rattlesnake" captured a specimen off Cape Tork with hook and line 

 at a depth of sixty three fathoms. It is strange that, notwithstanding the size 

 to which they grow and their excellence as food, no mention is made of this 

 or any other species of Chcerops in Saville Kent's list of Queensland Food 

 Fishes. 



Beyond the Australian coasts it is found through the Molucca Sea to 

 those of China. 



The Blue-spotted Grroper attains a length of at least twenty six inches. 



