PLAICE. 



297 



SUBBEACH1AL 



MALACOPTERYGll. 



PLEURONECTW&* 



THE PLAICE. 



Platessa vulgar it, 



Plaise, FLEM. Brit. An. p. 198, sp. 103. 

 ,, ,, CUVIER, Regne An. t. ii. p. 338. 



,, ,, Pluise, WILLUGHBY, p. 96, F. 4. 



Pleuronectes plutessa, LINN.EUS. BLOCK, pt. ii. pi. 42. 



,, ,, Plaise, PENN. Brit. Zool. vol. iii. p. 304. 



,, ,, ,, DON. Brit. Fish.pl. 6. 



Platessa vulgaris, Common Plaice, JENYNS, Brit. Vert. p. 454. 



PLATESSA. Generic Characters. Body rhomboidal, depressed; both eyes on 

 the right side of the head, one above the other ; a row of teeth in each jaw, with 

 others on the pharyngeal bones; dorsal fin commencing over the upper eye, that 

 fin and the anal fin extending nearly the whole length of the body, but neither 

 of them joined to the tail ; branchiostegous rays 6. 



THE character and appearance of the various species of 

 Pleuronectidte, or Flatfish, as they are popularly called, arc 

 so peculiar and so unique among vertebratcd animals as to 

 claim particular notice. 



The want of symmetry in the form of the head ; both 

 eyes placed on the same side, one higher than the other, 

 * The family of the Flounders, popularly called Flatfish. 



