NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 195 



ciliate, though none of them are so rough as in most Flatfishes. Those of the 

 head cover the entire opercular region and cheeks, and in part also the inner- 

 ocular ridge ; those of the cheeks are strongly ciliate," forbid us to associate it 

 in the same genus as L. umbrosa. If, however, tuberculated scales should be 

 substituted for ciliated ones, nothing else in the description would militate 

 against such a reference. Dr. Ayres, indeed, considers this species to be "al- 

 lied to P. dentata, Mitch.," but as his ideas of affinity are extremely crude and 

 unreliable, nothing may be learned from them. 



The second has been named by Dr. Gunther Parophrys Ayrcsii. The " broad 

 band of villiform teeth on the blind side, and with a few on the colored one," 

 approximates it to the same group as Hypsopsetta and Pleuronichthys. The 

 mere statement that " the dorsal fin commences somewhat before the middle 

 of the eye," and the neglect to describe the lips furnish us negative evidence 

 of some weight that it is not congeneric with Pleuronichthys ccenosvs * in which 

 the dorsal is decurrent in front on the blind side, and the lips are plicated as in 

 Labroids, characters which would not be overlooked by an observant natural- 

 ist. As in Hypsopsetta, the normal characters of those parts are presented, and 

 as Parophrys Ayresii otherwise exhibits a concordance with that genus, it may 

 be provisionally referred to it. 



The third species native of the seas between Kamtschatkaand America has 

 been named by Pallas Pleuronectes quadrituberculatus, and has recently been re- 

 ferred by Dr. Gunther to the genus Parophrys. The description of Pallas is 

 perhaps insufficient to enable us to form a certain conclusion regarding its affi- 

 nities, but the characters given smooth body with rudimentary scales, lateral 

 line very little decurrent anteriorly, and four tubercles on the head continu- 

 ous with the lateral line are characters found in Pleuronectes rather than in 

 Parophrys. The cause of its reference by Gunther to the latter genus is unknown, 

 but whatever it may be, he has evidently entirely misunderstood that genus. 

 Until we are better acquainted with the Pallasian species, it may be advisable 

 to retain it in Pleuronectes, since no advantage would be gained by exchanging 

 one doubt for another far greater. 



A fourth species Pleuronectes cicatricosus Pallas is also apparently a true 

 Pleuronectes. 

 I. Mouth small, the supramaxillary ending before under front 



Of eye PtEURONECTIX-SL 



A. Teeth well developed, straight, blunt, and producing an 

 incisorial edge, chiefly confined to the blind side: an- 

 terior nostril on eye side tubular ; on blind with a pos- 

 terior linguiform flap : posterior patulous, or nearly so. 

 a. Eyes dextral. 



/?. Lateral line with no recurrent or dorsal branch...... Pleuronectes. 



0(3. Lateral line with recurrent or dorsal branch. 



. Cheeks with cycloid, imbricated scales Parophrys. 



m. Checks with stellated or tuberculated scales Lepidopsetta. 



at*. Eyes sinistral : scales scattered, stellated, or tuber- 

 culated, only unarmed cycloid behind Platichthys. 



AA. Teeth slender, acute, pluriserial. Anterior nostril on 

 eye as well as blind side with flap behind ; posterior 

 patulous. Lateral line recurrent. 

 t. Lips simple ; dorsal continuous in front on dorsal 



ridge Hypsopsetta. 



am. Lips plicated ; dorsal in front decurved on blind side Pleuronichthys. 



* Dr. Gunther has referred Pleuronichthys ceenosus, Grd., to Pleuronectes, and PI. guttulalux to 

 Parophrys. His reasons for thus widely separating thein have not been given, and are not obvi- 

 ous from a simple acquaintance with the literature or the species themselves. His chaiacters of. 

 Parophrys are applicable to both species, but not to those of Parophrys. 



1864.] 



