FAMILY PLANIDjE. 303 



GENUS ACHIRUS. Lacepede. 



Destitute of pectoral fins. Dorsal and anal fins distinct from the caudal. Eyes and colored 

 surface on the right side. Gape of the mouth curved downward. 



THE NEW-YORK SOLE. 



ACHIRUS MOLLIS. 



PLATE XLIX. FIG. 159. — (STATE COLLECTION.) 



Plewonectes lineatus. Sole in New-York. Schcepff, Beobachtungen u. s. w. Vol. 8. p. 148. 



Pleitronecles mollis, New-York Sole. Mitchill, Report in part, &c. p. 9 ; Id. Lit. and Phil. Soc.Vol. 1, p. 288, pi. 2, fig. 4. 



Achirus mollis. Cutieh, Regne Animal, Vol.2; Stoker, Fishes of Massachusetts, p. 149. 



Characteristics. Greenish brown, with numerous black blotches, and from four to seven trans- 

 verse dark lines across the body. Length three to six inches. 



Description. Form oval, approaching to orbicular. Snout rounded, vertical in front. Scales 

 small ; their exposed surfaces orbicular ; free margins with radiating spines. The scales ascend 

 high up on the dorsal, anal and caudal fins ; and when the mucosity is cleared off from the 

 body, it becomes rough to the touch. Lateral line nearly straight, submedial. Eyes small ; 

 the lower behind the angle of the mouth. A single white and tubular nostril in advance of 

 the eyes, and placed near the border of the upper jaw. Gill-covers on the under side, covered 

 with many fleshy filaments, disposed in irregular groups. A membranous expansion over the 

 edge of the upper jaw on the white side ; this membrane is fringed with white filaments. 

 Rictus of the mouth turned downward. Teeth in both jaws minute, and barely perceptible. 



The dorsal fin commences on the fore part of the upper jaw, and is coterminal with the 

 anal ; the rays included between the thirty-fifth and forty-fifth are largest. Ventrals longer 

 than the first rays of the anal fin ; its first ray shortest ; they are contiguous to each other, 

 and barely leave room for the vent between them and the anal. Anal similar in shape, but 

 shorter than the dorsal. Caudal rounded, nearly orbicular. 



Color. Head, body and fins greenish brown, with numerous black blotches ; smaller on the 

 head. There appears to be two strongly marked varieties in our waters ; the one with the 

 blotches disposed as above, and another with from five to seven meandering transverse black 

 stripes across the body ; on the fins the spots become confluent, forming broad vertical black 

 stripes. These two varieties are often intermixed ; the spotted variety being often without 

 stripes, and the striped variety with obscure spots ; in both, the under side soiled white, with 

 numerous circular dark brown spots. The abdominal cavity extends to the tail. The stomach 

 has no caeca, and the intestines present three principal convolutions. 



Length, 5'5. Depth, 1'7. 



Fin rays, D. 56 ; V. 4 ; A. 40 ; C. 16. 



This species is common in our waters. It is usually taken in seines in the months of Sep- 



