82 NEW SOUTH WALES 
Fam. SCOPELIDE. 
Like Siluride, but body often scaly; no barbels, no air-bladder. 
Opercular apparatus sometimes rudimentary, an adipose fin. Pyloric 
appendages few or absent. Intestinal tract very short. Exclusively 
marine forms. 
“They are all deep-sea fishes, and excellent for food ; but of the five 
species known in these seas, one only, the “Sergeant Baker” (Awlopus 
purpurissatus), is of any size. It is a beautiful as well as a good fish, 
and is frequently caught by the hook in the summer season by the 
schnapper-fishers. The other species of our waters belong to the genera 
Saurus and Saurida.”—R.R.C. 
The genus here referred to has the head and body rather elongate, 
slightly compressed, covered with scales of moderate size. Mouth very 
wide. Maxillary well developed, dilated behind. Teeth small, heart- 
shaped, in bands in the jaws, on the vomer, palatine, and tongue; eye 
moderate. Pectorals and ventrals well developed, the latter nine- 
rayed, inserted close behind the pectorals below the anterior dorsal rays. 
Dorsal in the middle of the body, rather long, with fifteen or more rays. 
Adipose fin small, anal moderate, caudal forked. Gill opening very 
wide. 
The Sergeant Baker. 
(Plate XXXYV.) 
This fish is Aulopus purpurissatus, of Richardson, is a species 
distinguished by having the second and third dorsal ray produced 
into a long ray in the males. The colours of this fish are very 
brilliant, consisting chiefly of purple and red. Mr. Hill says of this 
fish :—“The red gurnard or gurnet, popularly known as ‘Sergeant 
Baker,’ is of the genus Aulopus, ‘combining the character of the salmon 
and the cod-fish’ (Cuvier).* It was long supposed in this country that 
the red gurnard or Sergeant Baker and the flying gurnard were of the 
same family and genus, the distinction being merely in the wings; the 
colour and similarity in shape no doubt was the cause of the delusion. 
The Sergeant Baker in all probability got its local appellation in the 
early history of the Colony (New South Wales), as it was called after a 
sergeant of that name in one of the first’ detachments of a regiment, so 
were also two fruits of the Geebong tribe (Persoonia) ; one was called 
Major Buller, and the other Major Groce, and this latter again further 
corrupted into Major Grocer ; such was the spirit of corruption in those 
days. 
“Tt is not only a good fish, but combines the flavour of the salmon 
with the rich flakiness of the cod-fish. It can readily be understood 
why connoisseurs select them, after a day’s sport with line or net, for 
they may be caught with either, and at any place, but not many are 
secured at the same time, and these fishes are what may be termed 
scarce. I have known the Sergeant Baker and the flying gurnard 
caught with hook and line out of the same boat and off the same 
ground ; both had their heads cut off and fried in the same pan, but 
there was a positive distinction, although both were good.” 
* There is nothing of the salmon about it, except the adipose fin. 
