DISCUSSION OF SPECIES AND THEIK DISTRIBUTION. 435 



The halibut were once very abundant iu Massaehusetts Bay, but are now found chiefly at 

 a depth of 100-300 fathoms on the slopes of the outer banks, where they are sought by a 

 hirge fleet of Gloucester fishing schooners. Individuals are occasionally taken near the 

 shore. In 1875 one weigliiug about 200 pounds was caught by a dory lisherman off Half- 

 way Kock, Salem Harbor, and one still larger in Gloucester Harbor, in August, 1878. 



The New Loudon halibut smacks obtain many halibut on the south part of Georges 

 Banks and the ncigliboring shoals. An individual was taken, years ago, on the outei side 

 of Fishers Island, Connecticut. The halibut may, iu all probability, be found to be abun- 

 dant on the edge of the continental slope south of Cape Cod, since here have been recently 

 obtained nearly all the species most constantly associated on the northern halibut grounds 

 on the outer edges of La Have, Browns, Sable Island, and other banks off the coast of 

 Nova Scotia and Newfoundland. 



PLATYSOMATICHTHYS, Bleeker. 



Heiiihardtiiis, Gill, Cat. Fish. E. Cuast N. Amer. 1861, 50 (name only). 

 PlatiisoiiKitichthjis, Bleeker, Comptes Rendus, Acad. Sci. Amsterdam, xiii, 1862. 



Dextral pleuronectoids, having the body somewhat elongate. Head and mouth large; 

 maxillary reaching beyond vertical fi-om anterior margin of eye. Jaws with strong, un- 

 equal teeth; the upper with two series iu front, which converge posteriorly, the lower with 

 a series of strong, distant teeth ; vomer and palatines toothless. Gill lakers few in num- 

 ber, short and rough. Fins low, the caudal flu crescentic. Lower pharyngeal teeth in a 

 single row. Scales small, cycloid, the lateral line straight. [Joidnn.) 



PLATYSOMATICHTHYS HIFPOGLOSSOIDES, (Walbaum), GoODii and Bean. (Figure 364.) 



rieiironectea cijnoglossua, Fabricius, 1780 (not Gronovius). 



Pleuroiiecles liippoiilossoiden, Walbai'M, Artedi, Pise, 1792, 151. 



lieiiiluirdliKs hipiioglomvidea, Gill, C.it. Fish. E. Coast N. Am., 1861, .50; Prov. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1864, 218. 



Plalysomalichihiis hippoglosaoides, Goode and Bean, Cat. Fish. Essex Co., 1879, 7. — Jordan and Gilbert, 



Bull. XVI, U. S. Nat. Mus., 819. — Collett, Norsk. Nordhavs. Exp. Fisk., 142. 

 PUuronevtea piuguia, Fabricius, K. Vid. Selsk. Nat. och Math. Afh., 1824, 43. 

 HippogJossus pinguh, Gaimard. Voy. Skand. et Lap. Poiss.,. pi. xxii.' 



Platiisnnixlirhlhiis phigids, Bi.EEKER, Vernl. Medelel. K. Akad. AVetensch. Amsterdam, xiii, 1862, 426. 

 ffippogliissiis phigids, CoLLETT, Norgcs Fiske, 187.5, 135. — Gunther, Challenger Report, xxil, 1887, 161. 

 Hippoglossua grtrnlandicus, Gi'NTHER, Cat. Fish. Brit. Mus., IV, 1862, 404. 



Body elongate, its height one-third of its length, that of the head one-fourth. Eyes 

 parallel: the diameter of the orbit is one-eighth the length of the head, and one-half that 

 of the snout ; interorbital space flat, wider than the orbit. Lower Jaw prominent, the length 

 of the maxillary two-fifths of head. Teeth conical, pointed, in two series, convergent pos- 

 teriorly on the upper jaw, those of the outer series decreasing in size; a pair of strong 

 canines in the inner series in front, the others very small; a series of strong, distant tcetli 

 on lower jaw. GUI rakers short, thick, and strongly dentate. Fins naked. Dorsal and 

 anal rays simple, the dorsal beginning over posterior third of the eye, its hmgest rays one- 

 third length of head. Scales small, not ciliated. 



Eadial formula: I). 100; A. 75. 



Color, brownish, or yellowish gray. 



An Arctic species frequently brought in by the halibut fishing schooners of Glouceoter. 

 Its range extends as far soutli as the gully between Le Have and Browns Banks and 

 Georges Banks. A young specimen, 165 mm. in length (D. 91 ; A. 72), was trawled by the 

 Albatross at station 2431, in 43° N. lat., 57° 40' 30" W. Ion., at a depth of 129 fathoms. The 

 species also occurs in deei> water oft" Norway, and a young one was taken by the Norwegian 

 North Atlantic Expedition, southwest of Bear Island, in 447 fathoms. Unlike adult indi- 

 viduals, the young have the blind side colorless. 



