117 



CAKANX. 



The fish belonging to this genus abound in the tropical seas of 

 both hemispheres, but in the temperate regions they are scarce. 

 The Mediterranean has very few, and only one has been yet found 

 on the southern coast of Australia, although several others are 

 mentioned from the northern and western shores of that Conti- 

 nent. 



CAEAFX GEORGIANS. 



Caranx georgianus, Guv. Sf Veil., v. ix., p. 85. 



Richard., Erebus and Terror, Fishes, 



p. 135, pi. lviii., fig. 1. 



{The Silver Bream.) 



In the numerous specimens I have seen, the second dorsal 

 numbers sometimes twenty- six and sometimes twenty-seven soft 

 rays. Cuvier and Valenciennes give them twenty-eight or 

 twenty-nine. They also count twenty-four at the anal, and I 

 only find twenty-two and twenty-three. It is evident that these 

 branched rays are subject to considerable variations in their 

 numbers. 



The colours in the fresh specimens are very beautiful, the 

 upper parts being sometimes of a light celestial blue, and some- 

 times of a beautiful purple ; the lower parts are of a silvery 

 white, with bright iridescent tinges. Behind the operculum there 

 is a black spot, and along the body extends a fine, longitudinal 

 golden stripe. The dorsal fin is yellow, bordered with an obscure 

 tinge ; the caudal is yellow or grey, and the other fins diaphanous ; 

 the ventrals are rather pink. 



In the old specimens the teeth are short, and many fall off. 

 The eye is silvery. 



This is a very common fish on the Melbourne Market, particu- 

 larly in the cold months of the year. The large specimens are 

 scarce. The average size is under 10 inches long, but some 

 attain 23 and even 25 inches. It is considered good for the table, 

 and appears to inhabit all the western and southern coast of New 

 Holland. 



