i74 FISHES OF AUSTRALIA 



THE POMFRETS. 



( Family : Bramidee. ) 



THK fishes of this family usually inhabit the open sea and 

 some of them are found in the great ocean depths. About 

 12 species are known. The fishes of one of the genera, 

 known as Pteraclis, are very remarkable for the enormous 

 sail-like dorsal and anal fins. Perhaps the best-known 

 species of this family is the Pomfret (Brama rail), also 

 known as "Ray's Bream." This is a fish of wide distribu- 

 tion and of considerable value in portions of its habitat as 



. POMPBBT (Bra ma rail). 



a food-fish. It has been obtained on the coast of New 

 South Wales, but is here exceedingly rare. In the Medi- 

 terranean Sea it is common, while, in American waters, it 

 is stated by Jordan and Evermann to be rare on the Atlantic 

 coast, but not uncommon on the coast of California and north 

 to Puget Sound "where it is regarded as an excellent food- 

 fish." The Pomfret that is the American name is a 

 deep-bodied fish, growing to a length of from 2 to 4 feet. 



The colour is described as a sooty-gray, with some 

 "soiled silvery on the snout." 



THE JOHN DORY FAMILY. 



(Family: Z eider.) 



THE "Dories" are widely-distributed marine fishes, inhabit- 

 ing the temperate zones of both the Northern and Southern 



