384 THE FLOUNDER FAMILY. 



stellate and are aggregated into a conspicuous transverse band 

 extending across the trunk and both marginal fins about one- 

 half of the distance from head to tail. A few scattered black 

 stars are seen upon the tail, whilst others, both black and 

 yellow, are distributed over the neck and abdominal region, the 

 yellow only being found upon the head. The pigment of the 

 eyes is late in appearing in this species, and shortly after this 

 the characteristic silvery sheen is observable. 



With further development, the remainder of the yolk is 

 absorbed, and the body deepens still more with the commence- 

 ment of the post-larval stage (Plate XVII, fig. 3). The broad 

 marginal fins are marked at their outer borders by black touches 

 of pigment, a small yellow spot usually accompanying each 

 black mass. There are usually eight of these touches upon 

 the dorsal fin and four on the ventral. Minute yellow dots 

 are also scattered on the surface of both marginal fins. 

 These peculiar little touches of pigment arranged in pairs 

 dorsally and ventrally along the outer edge of the marginal fins 

 are remarkably characteristic of the pleuronectid family, as is 

 also the early appearance of both black and yellowish pigment. 

 Dr Ehrenbaum 1 gives an account, with figures, of two stages 

 closely succeeding that just mentioned, and they lead to the 

 subsequent stages to be described, so that the series is complete. 

 The spread of the pigments over the deepening marginal fin 

 dorsally and ventrally is very characteristic. The post-larval 

 flounders are still pelagic but have commenced their migration 

 from the surface through the mid-water to the bottom. Though 

 very deep in the body they still swim with the dorsal fin 

 uppermost, and only subsequent to this stage does the move- 

 ment to one side take place. They are stated by Petersen 2 to 

 forsake the pelagic state at 8 mm. length. Holt 3 found a young 

 flounder of 10mm. still in the pelagic habitat (^ to 2 fathoms), 

 so that Petersen's remark must not be taken as a generalisation. 

 The young flounders (Plate XVI, figs. 8 and 9, and Plate XVII, 

 fig. 4) when they reach the bottom can be distinguished from 



1 Op. dt. 1896. 



2 Eept. Danish Biol. Stat., 1894. 



3 Holt, Trans. Dublin Royal Soc., p. 79. 



