324 PISCES. 



Solea, the Sole. Eyes on the right, mouth twisted in the opposite direction, and with teeth only in the sides oppo- 

 site to the eyes; form oblong; snout rounded, generally in advance of the mouth; dorsal and anal margining all 

 the sides of thf body. S. vulgaris, the Common Sole, is dark-brown on the upper part, with a strong skin and 

 small scales, and white on the under. S. pegusa, the Lemon Sole, is paler in colour, and wider and thicker than 

 the Common Sole. All the Soles are excellent fishes, and may be had in good condition nearly all the year. 



Menochirus, resembles the Sole, but has only one small pectoral on the same side with the eyes, which is the 

 right side in all the Soles. The Variegated Sole of the Mediterranean — occasionally found on the British coast — is 

 an example. 



Achirus, are Soles entirely without pectoral fins, some having the ventrals distinct, and others having them 

 united to the anal. 



THE THIRD FAMILY OF THE MALACOPTERYGII SUB-BRACHIATI. 

 Discoboli (Fishes with the ventrals formed into a Sucker, or Disc). 



The disc formed by the ventrals is the family characteristic, and they consist of two genera, both of 

 which have the power of attaching themselves to rocks and other hard substances, by means of the 

 disc, and thus they are capable of remaining in situations where otherwise the current of the water 

 would carry them away. [This curious property enables these fishes to remain and find their food in 

 situations where every other species of fish would be swept away by the current of the water.] 



Lepidogaster. — These small fishes have large pectorals reaching to the under-side of the body, where 

 they consist of stouter rays, incline forwards, and unite with each other by a transverse membrane 

 directed forwards under the throat, and composed of the united ventral fins. Body without scales ; 

 head broad and depressed ; snout curved and protractile ; gills with little opening, and four or five 

 rays ; only one soft dorsal opposite the anal, and both reaching to the base of the caudal. Intestines 

 short, straight, and without cceca. They have no air-bladder, but they swim briskly. There are two 

 subgenera : — 



Lepidogaster, properly so called, have the membranes representing the ventrals extended to one complete disc; 

 and behind this, another disc, formed by the united pectorals. Some have the dorsal and anal united to the 

 caudal, and others not. [There are several British species found on the south and west coasts ; but they are small, 

 and of no interest, except to naturalists.] 



Gobiesox, have the disc entire, but with a cleft on the sides, and the membrane produced ; the gill-opening 

 wider, and the dorsal and caudal smaller, and separated from the anal. [Of this there is one small British species, 

 not above an inch and a half in length, bright red above, and paler below. The sucker adheres readily to any wet 

 surface, but not to a dry one.] 



Cyclopterus. — Rays of the ventrals suspended round the pelvis, united by a single membrane, and 

 forming the disc; mouth wide; small pointed teeth in the jaws and pharynx; gill-lid small, and opening 

 close below ; six gill-rays ; pectorals large, almost meeting under the throat, so as to surround the disc 

 there, but forming no part of it. Their bones are soft; skin naked and mucous, but studded with hard 

 granulations; stomach large, and with numerous cceca ; intestine long ; air-bladder moderate. There 

 are two subgenera : — 



Lumpus, have the first dorsal more or less visible, but with simple rays ; the second opposite the anal, with 

 branchial rays; the body is thick. [The Lump-fish is found in the British seas, and as far north of them as the 

 margin of the polar ice. When in good condition for the table, it is red, or rather various shades of blue, purple, 

 and reddish orange; but when out of season, it fades to a dull blue. It attains considerable size, and is a high 

 and thick fish, — the height being about half the length, and the thickness half the height.] 



Leparus, with a single dorsal, and this and the anal both long ; the body long, and compressed towards the tail. 

 [There are one or two British species, some of which are called " Snail-fishes," from their soft and unctuous 

 texture, and the readiness with which they adhere to rocks.] 



Echeneis. This genus, like Pleuronectes, might form a distinct family of Sub-brachial Malacopterygii. They 

 have a disc on the head, formed of cartilaginous laminae, ranged transversely or obliquely backwards, and with 

 teeth or spines on their posterior edge. These are moveable, so that by means of them the fish can attach itself 

 firmly to a rock, the bottom of a ship, or any other substance ; and it is owing to this that it used to be alleged 

 that these fishes could at once arrest the course of the swiftest vessel. Body long and scaly, a small dorsal oppo- 

 site the anal, top of the head flat, lower jaw projectile, teeth small, tongue and vomer rough, eight gill-rays, large 

 stomach, short intestine, six or eight cceca, and no air-bladder. This species are not numerous, and they inhabit 

 generally the warmer seas. \_E. remora. the Common Sucking-fish, is abundant in the Mediterranean ; and has 

 been met with as a straggler on the British shores, — Dr. Turton having found one riding on the back of a Cod- 

 fish, at Swansea, in 1806. The West Indian species are larger.] 



