140 FISHES OF MASSACHUSETTS. 



Family II. 

 PLANL 



Platessa. Cuv. 



Generic characters. Body rhomboidal, depressed ; both eyes 

 on the rigid side of the head, one above the other f a row of 

 teeth in each jaw, %oith others on the pharyngeal bones ; dorsal 

 fin commencing over the tipper eye, that fin and the anal fin 

 extending nearly the ivhole length of the body, but neither of 

 them joined to the tail ; branchiostegous rays 6. 



P. plana. Mitchell. The Flounder of Massachusetts. 

 Trans. Lit. et Pliilosoph. Soc. N. Y. vol. i. p. 387. 



This fish, which Mitchell calls the " New York Flatfish: 1 

 is generally known by onr fishermen as the '• Flounder.'' 1 It 

 is taken in considerable quantities throughout all the warm 

 season near the shore, from the wharves, bridges, &c, and in 

 the winter is speared through the ice. Those taken about 

 Deer Island are considered very fine, in the market. The 

 largest specimen of the " plana,'''' I have seen, measured in 

 length twenty-one inches, and in width, seventeen inches. 



The color is very variable ; sometimes the right side, upon 

 which are situated the eyes, is of a rusty brown ; sometimes of 

 a dark, blackish brown ; at other times, of a dull slate color. 

 Scales small. Surface of the fish, smooth. Left side colorless. 



Length of the specimen before me, thirteen and a half inches ; 

 length, exclusive of the tail, ten and a half inches; length of 

 the head ; two and a half inches ; depth of the fish across its 

 middle, less than half the length of the fish, when the tail is 

 included. Head covered with scales ; mouth small ; lips large 

 and fleshy ; a single row of compact, prominent, slightly in- 

 curved teeth in each jaw. The half of the jaw next to the 

 eyes, without teeth. Eyes large ; their longest diameter six 

 lines; the shorter, four lines; pupils black; hides golden. 

 Space between the eyes, two lines wide, covered with scales. 



