FISH AND FISHERIES. 47 
very prominent. This is one of the most delicious fish of our seas; it is 
often caught in nets set near the headlands of Port Jackson, as it is 
peculiarly a rock-fish. The aboriginal name of this fish is “ Bingatti.” 
Chitodactylus vittatus, Garrett, or Banded Morwong, Plate XIII, is 
another kind which is rarely seen in the markets. 
The Trumpeter. 
Larris (Trumpeter) has the dorsal fin deeply notched, the spines 
seventeen; anal, many rayed, none of the pectoral rays extending 
beyond the margin of the fin. Teeth viliform, no canines. Preoper- 
culum minutely serrated. 
These are considered amongst the most delicate of our edible fishes, 
but one species, Z. ciliaris, is not much valued. It has seventeen spinous 
and thirty-nine soft rays in the dorsal fin, and three spinous and thirty- 
‘two soft in the anal. Head only one-fifth of the whole length. 
SCORPANIDA. 
Body oblong, more or less compressed, covered with ordinary scales 
or naked. Cleft of the mouth lateral or subvertical. Dentition feeble, 
consisting of viliform teeth, and generally without canines. Some bones 
of the head armed, especially the angle of the preoperculum ; its arma- 
ture receiving the support of a bony stay, connecting it with the infra- 
orbital ring. The spinous portion of dorsal equally or more developed 
than the soft and than the anal. Ventrals thoracic, generally with one 
spine and five soft rays or rudimentary. 
This family consists of carnivorous marine fishes only ; some resemble 
sea perches in form and habits, whilst others live at the bottom of the 
sea and possess in various degrees of development those skinny append- 
ages resembling the fronds of seaweeds, by which they either attract 
other fishes or hide themselves. These species also resemble in colour 
their surroundings, and vary with change of locality. They move or 
feel by means of simple pectoral rays. Nearly all are distinguished by 
a powerful armature, either of the head or fin spines, and in some the 
spines are developed into poisonous organs. (G.S.F.) 
Under the head of Trictips or Gurnards were formerly included the 
above: family. Now we have only one or two of our edible fishes 
included in it, that is to say, the genera Sebastes and Scorpena, both of 
which comprise the red rock cod of our fishermen. They. are rock 
and ground fish, but soft, and seldom eaten. 
Supasres has the head without a groove on the occiput and few small 
spines. We have only one species, S. percoides, Richardson, which is a 
reddish fish with five brown cross bands. 
The Red Rock Cod. 
(Plate XIL) 
This fish belongs to the genus Scorpena. It hasa naked groove on the 
occiput, armed with spines and sometimes skinny tentacles. About 
forty species are known from tropical and sub-tropical seas. They lead 
