166 EEPORT OF COMMISSIONERS OF INLAND FISHERIES. 



Rate of Growth: Young specimens up to H inches long are occasionally 

 found in June and July in the lobster-rearing cars at the Wickford 

 Experiment Station. Several were taken in 1909. June 13, one 

 specimen ^ inch (6 mm.), and another If inch (8 mm.) were taken; 

 metamorphosis had not yet taken place. June 30, a specimen was 

 taken 1 inch (25 mm.) long in which the eyes were as in the adult. 

 August 2nd a specimen H inches (37 mm.) long was taken. Williams, 

 1898 and 1899, found many larval specimens at Woods Hole closely 

 associated with the young of the winter flounder. Some of these 

 specimens he kept for some time in artificial inclosures and observed 

 their growth. Thej^ grew very rapidly, much more so than the floun- 

 ders. One which measured 10 mm. (2-5) inch in length and 5 mm. 

 (1-5 inch) in depth during eleven days grew to 22 mm. (9-10 inch) in 

 length and 12 mm. {h inch) in depth. Young specimens are rather 

 common in shallow water with a sandy bottom. Specimens two and 

 three inches long are often taken in the seine along sandy beaches 

 after the middle of July. Specimens 4 inches long and upward are 

 taken in beam trawls in December. The average length of the adult 

 sand-dab is about eleven inches. 



SOLEID.^. The Soles. 

 196. Achirus fasciatus (Lacepede). Sole; Hog-choker; Black Flatfish. 



Geog. Dist.: Coasts of the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico north to Cape 

 Ann. Common south of Susquehanna River. 



Season in R. I.: Taken occasionally throughout the year; not very 

 common in Narragansett Bay. Specimens from Providence and from 

 Newport are in the XJ. S. National Museum. Specimen taken August 

 14, 1905, in a trap in the West Passage. September 14, 1908, 3 speci- 

 mens were taken in Wild Goose trap. On April 14, 1908, a specimen 

 taken in fyke net outside Popular Point, AVickford. In Narragansett 

 Bay this species is apparently most numerous in the spring, when it is 

 often taken in fyke nets with flatfish. 



Reproduction: Specimens apparently ripe are taken the latter part of 

 May at Woods Hole (Bumpus, 189S). One small specimen has been 

 taken in fresh water, which may indicate that this species spawns in 

 rivers (Bean, 1903). 



Food: Eight specimens examined by Dr. Linton in 1899 had only vege- 

 table debris (Fucus and eel grass) in the alimentary canal. 



Size: This is the smallest species of American flatfishes. It seldom 

 exceeds five or six inches in length. 



