226 MALACOP. SUB-BRACH. FLAT FISH. 



through the transparent skins of which the colour of 

 the blood-vessels and muscles has suggested the tri- 

 vial names of rosea and carnaria to the authors who 

 considered them species. The PL passer^ figured by 

 Bloch, Part II. pi. 50, is certainly only a reversed 

 Flounder, having the eyes and the colour on the left 

 side ; — a variety so common, that it is scarcely pos- 

 sible to examine a peck measure of Flounders with- 

 out finding one or more reversed specimens."* 



(Sp. 170.) P. limanda. The Dab; Saltie, and 

 Salt-water Fleuke. The roughness of the body 

 (alluded to in the specific name which is derived 

 from lima a file), occasioned by the scales being 

 ciliated on the edges ; the abrupt and high arch of 

 the dorsal line over the pectorals ; along with the 

 absence of rough tubercles on the head, lateral line, 

 and base of the dorsal and anal fins, form the most 

 recognisable marks by which this species may be 

 known from its congeners. It is likewise frequent 

 on our sandy coasts, but by no means equally so 

 with either of the preceding. Edinburgh market i^ 

 pretty well supplied with it from the Firth of Forth, 

 and the London market abundantly so from various 

 places, for this fish admits of being carried to a 

 great distance without injury, on which account, 

 according to Cuvier, it is preferred in Paris to the 

 Plaice. It frequents deeper water than the species 

 just named or the Flounder, being seldom seen at 

 the mouths of rivers or on shallow banks near the 

 shore. It feeds on small fish, Crustacea and shell- 

 * British Fishes, vol. ii. p. 305, 



