394 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF FISHERIES. 



brown extending on some of the vertical fin rays; centers of scales bluish gray with brown margins; 

 faint blotches of darker brown, covering the scales in tlie blotch but still most intense on the edge of 

 each scale; yellowish tinge in large poorly defined blotches; dorsal fm ray'S pink with orange posterior 

 edge, this color extending on membrane, but tlie tips of the rays white; on the 26th ray the scales begin 

 to be brown, becoming more intense posteriorly with the orange yellow more defined on base of fin at 

 the posterior third; last 8 rays pink and very little yellowish; anal colored as dorsal; scales on caudal 

 brown margined, membranes and rays somewhat tinged with yellow except near terminal margin, where 

 it is bluish translucent and tips of rays white; pectoral membrane bluish translucent; scales of rays 

 brown-edged and few at base tinged with yellowish; ventral membrane pink with light-brown-edged 

 scales on rays; jaws pink, tinged with yellowish brown; preopercle and opercle same as on body; chin 

 and gular region pink; branchiostegals orange, as is margin of opercle, the upper one the most intensely 

 colored; iris golden and upper occular membrane bluish gray, tinged or dappled irregularly with yellow- 

 ish brown; under or left side of head, jaws and all except cheek (which is white) pink; fins all pink; 

 body white; belly pink. 



The 2iX-inch male was generally colored much as in the female but somewhat darker and not so 

 pink underneath, with orange and ferruginous blotches smaller and more distinct; belly orange; fins 

 all dark; outer terminal half of caudal slatey; ventral of right side light rustj' yellowish; left side white; 

 a number of light gray-white blotches on head and body, made up of groups of scales, but each scale 

 having a narrow brown margin; these blotches mostly more definitely spot-like than the darker ones, 

 arranged along body irregularly, but most numerous and approaching alternate regularity on opposite 

 side of the lateral line; large whitish blotch-like area under pectoral; another on side of abdomen and 

 others regularly arranged as follows: 5 along dorsal margin of body, i opposite base of seventeenth, 

 twenty-fiith, thirty-fifth, forty-sixth, and sixtieth dorsal ray, respectively; 4 along ventral margin of 

 body, I opposite ninth, seventeenth, twenty -ninth, and forty-fifth ray, respectively; i on each side of 

 caudal peduncle, and i each at bases of fifth and sixth rays from upper and lower margin of caudal, 

 respectively. 



The first 3 fish received were nearly ripe; the others, excepting the 2 small males, which appeared 

 to be immature, were spent, thus indicating that the spawning season is between April 15 and May 15. 

 The height of the spawning season of P. americanus at Woods Hole is in February, and is earlier farther 

 north. 



The stomachs of the fish were gorged with hydroids, among which were a few small crabs and other 

 invertebrates. 



The locality from which the first lot was obtained was not definitely known. Regarding this lot 

 Mr. Neal wrote: 



"Referring to the flatfish, a sample of which we sent you, our trawlers have taken these fish on 

 all parts of Georges Bank and on grounds east of Nantucket, the latter much smaller and less plentiful 

 than on Georges. 



" Fishing on Georges in water from 20 to 25 fathoms we have landed up to 15,000 pounds, or about 

 30 per cent of the total catch per trip. 



" In water from 40 to 70 fathoms the percentage drops to about 5. 



" We give the actual fishing of the steamer Spray, May i, 1911, to April 29, 1912 , total catch 3,292,744 

 pounds, out of w'hich were 120,000 pounds of these flatfish. 



" These fish appear to be on the grounds as above stated at all seasons of the year in about the same 

 quantities." 



Regarding the second lot Mr. Neal wrote: 



"These fish were caught on Georges Bank in latitude from 41° 15' to 42° north and longitude 67° 

 to 68° 30' west, from 15 to 35 fathoms of water, most plentiful in 20 fathoms. These fish were caught 

 by the steamer Ripple, which had about 10,000 pounds, or about 25 per cent of the total catch for this 

 trip." 



The fish is thick and firm meated, and the flesh is flaky and, when cooked, moist and of delicious 

 flavor. 



In size attained, numbers caught, and delectability, considered economically and gastronomically 

 it is surely a "worthy" fish. 



