113. PLEURONECTES - PLATYSOMATICHTHYS. 819 



ing in the Northern seas. (The ancient name, from l-xnoc;, horse; 

 tongue.) 



1261. H. vulgaris Fleming. Halibut. 



Nearly uniform dark brown ; blind side white. Body comparatively 

 elongate, not strongly compressed, deep mesially, thence rapidly taper- 

 ing each way; head broad; eyes large, separated by a very broad flat- 

 tish area; lower eye slightly advanced; mouth large, the maxillary 

 reaching middle of orbit. Head 3f ; depth 3. D. 105; A. 78. In all 

 Northern seas, south to France, Cape Cod, and San Francisco. One 

 of our most important food-fishes, reaching a weight sometimes of 400 

 pounds. 



(Pleuronectes Tiippoglossus L. Syst. Ndt. ; Fleming, Brit. Anim. 1828, 197; Giintber, 

 iv, 403: Hippo fjloas us americanus Gill, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila. 1864, 220.) 



452. PLAT FSOMATICHTHYS Bleeker. 







(Reinhardtius Gill.) 



(Bleeker, Comptes Rendns Acad. Sci. Amsterd. xiii, 1862: type Pleuronectes pinguid 

 Fabricius=P/eMroec<es hippoglosnoides Walbanm.) 



Eyes and color on the right side. Body more or less elongate, com- 

 pressed; head long and large; mouth large; maxillary reaching be- 

 yond eye; jaws with strong, unequal teeth; the upper with 2 series in 

 front, these converging behind; lower jaw with a single series of strong, 

 distant teeth; no teeth on vomer or palatines. Gill-rakers few, short, 

 stout, and rough. Fins rather low; caudal fin lunate. Lower pha- 

 ryngeal teeth in 1 row. Scales small, cycloid; lateral line without 

 anterior curve. One species known. (-Aary?, flat; ffu>^a^ body; ;#?, 

 fish.) 



1262. P. Iiippog9ossoidcs (Walbaum) Beau. Greenland Halibut. 

 Yellowish brown. Snout more than twice as long as the orbit, the 



diameter of which is one-eighth the length of the head; eyes even in 

 front ; interorbital space flat, scaly, wider than the orbit ; lower jaw 

 prominent; length of maxillary 2 in head; teeth conical, pointed; 

 upper jaw with 2 series, convergent posteriorly; those of the outer 

 series gradually smaller posteriorly; a pair of strong canine teeth 

 anteriorly in the inner series, the other teeth of this series being very 

 small; lower jaw with a series of strong, distant teeth. Gill-rakers 

 short, thick, and strongly dentate. Fins naked. Longest dorsal raya 

 one-third length of head; no anal spine; dorsal and anal rays all 

 simple, the dorsal beginning over posterior third of the eye. Scales 



