FISH FAUNA. 53 



to this record, a purely New Zealand family,* and the latter is sure to turn 

 up sooner or later on our north-eastern seaboard. Five species — Plectro- 

 poma cinctum, Trachypoma macr acanthus, Apogon norfolcensis, Rlatystethus 

 cultratum, and Parma pohjlepis — are peculiar to Lord Howe and Norfolk 

 Islands. 



ACANTHOPTEKYGII. 



PERCIDJE. 



ANTHIAS, Block. 



Anthias cichlops, JBlk., sp. 



A single example, so far as I am aware the second which has fallen into 

 the hands of any naturalist, was picked up dead, but in a fresh and perfect 

 state, on the beach by Mr. E. H. Saunders during last April ; its length is 

 three and four-fifths inches. 



SERRANUS, Cuvier. 



Serranus ouatalibi, Cuv. Sf Vol. 



This species is mentioned here on the authority of Dr. Grunthcr (Catal. i. p. 

 120), but the occurrence in Australian waters of a West Indian fish belonging 

 to this genus is so improbable that I am inclined to believe either that the 

 specimen will eventually turn out to belong to a different species — the fin 

 rays are noticed by Dr. Gtinther as slightly differing from the normal number 

 — or that the example may by some chance have been erroneously labelled. 



Serrantjs fuscoguttatus, Rap p. 

 A single young example under seven inches in length. 



Serranus djemeli, Gntli. 



The " Black Rock Cod" of the islanders. It is plentiful and grows to av 

 large size ; one which Mr. Saunders collected weighed seventy-five pounds, 

 and measured forty-two inches, while Captain Langley brought a rather 

 dilapidated skin measuring no less than fifty-four inches, and it is said to 

 attain to even greater dimensions. As it is caught solely by hook and line, 

 it may be imagined that tackle of great strength is required, since, in addition 

 to its weight, it fights with great determination in its efforts to escape. 

 Small examples up to ten pounds in weight are excellent for the table ; and 

 with reference to the Sydney market, where however it is scarce and of 

 small size, not more than half a dozen species excel it. At the Solitaries, 

 a group of islets about two hundred miles north of Sydney, it is said to 

 reach the weight of one hundred pounds. 



PLECTROPOMA, Cuvier, 



Plectropoma cinctum, Gnth. 



The " Striped Rock Cod " is common both in rock pools and in the open 

 sea ; it grows to at least eighteen inches in length, and both it and the 

 succeeding species are used as food. 



* Since writing this sentence I find that Mr. Francis Day has described a species from 

 Madras (Proc. Zool. Soc. 18S8, p. 2(34). 



