206 LEMON SOLE. 



forehead is round and projects much over the mouth, conse- 

 quently the under jaw is overlapped by the upper; mouth 

 arched. Eyes separate, the upper distant from the border and 

 advanced, the lower near the mouth. Scales cover the head 

 and body, and also the lower surface, a row on each of 

 the fin rays. Lateral line straight. The dorsal fin begins in 

 front of the upper eye, and ends close to the root of the 

 tail, being joined to it by a slight membrane, as is the anal; 

 ventrals close to the throat; pectorals moderate. The colour 

 of the fish yellow, studded over with spots, the pectoral fin 

 having a black patch at the end. On the under side the 

 nostril is broadly open. The number of the fin rays is — of 

 the dorsal ninety, anal seventy-one, caudal eighteen, pectoral 

 eight, ventral five. The difference of numbers in the dorsal 

 and anal here given from those assigned to this fish by 

 Mr. Yarrell, may be explained by the fact, (common to the 

 flatfishes, as well as to all fishes which have numerous rays in 

 those fins,) that, in addition to an intermediate bone attached 

 to each neural spine of the vertebrae, and each one bearing a 

 fin ray, several of them will have a couple of these intermediate 

 bones, with each a fin ray; and as the number and distribution 

 of these additional bones are not influenced by a regular law, 

 the number of fin rays attached to them must vary accordingly. 

 By way of comparison with the Variegated Sole, when laid 

 side by side with it, the scales appear much alike, but different 

 from those of the Common Sole; while the more precise 

 differences between the former fishes are — that in the Lemon 

 Sole the eyes are smaller, the upper much more in advance, 

 the mouth differently formed, the dorsal fin over the head 

 more expanded, pectoral fin larger, ventrals nearer the cleft of 

 the gills, dorsal and anal fins nearer the tail, and united to it 

 by membrane. The colour and niottlings are very different. 



