﻿126 GANGETic FISHES. Order IV. 



the mouth to the ventral fins. The back and tail have furrows 

 for receiving the parts of the back and vent fins, that are sup- 

 ported by prickles. Near its end, the tail, both above and be- 

 low, slopes very suddenly. The lateral lines are ill defined, but 

 seem to be high, and to form an arch parallel to the back. The 

 scales adhere firmly, and are large, smooth, and entire on the 

 edge. Above each ventral fin is a short scale-like appendant. 

 The vent is before the middle. 



There is only one back fin, which rises gradually higher from 

 the first prickle to the sixth soft ray, which is the longest, and 

 then is rounded into a vertical end, the hinder rays gradually 

 growing shorter to the last. The edge of the part supported by 

 prickles is indented like a saw. The pectoral fins are low, 

 short, and blunt ; but their upper rays are the longest : each 

 contains seventeen rays, of which the first is very short. The 

 ventral fins are small and near each other, and each contains six 

 rays, of which the first is a short prickle, and the others are 

 branched. The fin behind the vent is shaped exactly like that 

 of the back, the sixth soft ray being the longest. It contains 

 thirteen strong prickles and eleven branched rays. The fin of 

 the tail is shaped like a fan ; but the middle of its hinder edge 

 forms a very slight concavity. It contains sixteen distinct rays, 

 besides some short compacted ones at the sides. 



XL Genus. — Pleuronectes. 

 Fishes of the fourth order, with both eyes on one side of 

 the head, and with pectoral fins. 



1st Species. — Pleuronectes nauphala. 

 A pleuronectes with eyes on the left side ; with the fin of the 

 tail sharp-pointed j with about seventy-three rays in the back 



