FISH AND FISHERIES. 67 
signifying its habit of spawning thrice a year; but Athenzus affirms 
that this species only breeds three times in all. The tradition is worth 
bearing in mind. 
Fam. COTTIDZ. 
Body oblong, subcylindrical, mouth-cleft lateral, feeble teeth in 
villiform bands. Head with spines and a bony stay connects the preo- 
percular spine with the infraorbital ring. Two dorsal fins (rarely one), 
spinous less developed than the soft or the anal. Ventrals with five or 
less than five soft rays. 
These fishes are small, remaining generally on the bottom in shallow 
water. 
The Flathead. 
(Plate XXV.) ; 
PuLatycEPHALUS is easily distinguished by its depressed head, and body 
which becomes cylindrical towards the tail. About forty species are 
known, of which some attain the length of 2 feet. They live on the 
bottom in shallow water, hidden in the sand, the colours of which their 
bodies resemble. They are scarce near islands or deep seas, but the 
number of species is considerable in the temperate portions of the Aus- 
tralian coast, where the bottom is sandy. ‘Their long and strong 
ventral fins are of great use to them in locomotion.”—Giinther. 
The ‘‘flatheads” of the coast are Platycephalus fuscus, levigatus, bassensis, and 
cirronasus. Of these, the first, P. fuscus, is the flathead best known and most 
common in Port Jackson. All the species are of excellent quality, and may be 
ranked amongst the best of our fishes. Like the red rock cod the flathead is a 
ground fish, but is found on a sandy bottom only, and generally at only a 
moderate depth. It is taken both by the hook and net. But little information is 
attainable about the history of the flathead, but it seems to come into this harbour 
full of spawn in midsummer, and probably deposits its ova on the sandy banks in 
tolerably deep water.—R.R.C. 
Some of the species of flathead will venture up the rivers into fresh 
water. Thus P. fuscus comes up the river Hunter as far as West 
Maitland, where it is caught abundantly by the anglers in summer. 
Of Platycephalus fuscus, Cuv. & Val., Mr. Hill says :—“ They are 
ground fishes and bite freely in the summer season, but retire into deeper 
water during the colder months of the winter, where they might also be 
‘caught with the line. Of a calm day it is usual to let the boat drift over 
the ground, which is generally sandy, when occasionally they bite freely. 
I have often known fifteen or twenty dozen hauled up, and as fast as the 
line could be put over. They are sluggish fishes, and do not give much 
sport ; the very large ones of 3 or 4 feet in length, which are at times 
caught with the line, have pretty good strength, but are soon exhausted. 
The flesh is good, white, firm, and flaky, and it is preferred when bviled. 
Some consider the flathead a fine fish. Certainly its outward appearance 
when dead does not recommend it. 
‘The flathead is armed with a double thorn over each gill operculum: 
and which give a bad laceration, afterwards accompanied with pain: 
Care must be taken in removing them from the hook that these bones 
do not come in contact ; the usual plan is to give the fish a tap on the 
