68 REPORT OF COMMISSIONERS OF INLAND FISHERIES. 



anteriorly with their pectinations more or less produced forming 

 cirri; scales with both sides extremely rough, extending on the fins. 

 Lateral lines straight, simple; edge of preopercle covered by the 

 scales. Dorsal beginning on the snout, low in front and thickly 

 scaled, its rays divided; anal fin similar without spine; caudal fin 

 convex; caudal peduncle very short and deep; pectoral fin of left 

 side wanting, that of right side small or obsolete ; ventral rays three 

 or four, the ventral fin of the colored side long, connected with anal 

 by membrane. 



8. Achirus fasciatiis. The American Sole. 



Head 4 in body; depth 1 4-5. D. 50-55; A. 37-46; Scales 66-75. 

 Body broad, irregularly elliptical; mouth moderate, reaching just 

 past front of lower eye; right lower lip fringed; eyes very small, the 

 upper one in advance of the lower; nostril ending in a wide tube, 

 nearer lower eye than tip of snout; interorbital space with scales, 

 more than one-half eye; head and body scaled with strongly ctenoid 

 scales, none of them with hair-like appendages; lateral line nearly 

 straight; gill opening short, about twice as long as maxillary. Origin 

 of dorsal on tip of snout; last few rays of dorsal and anal rapidly 

 decreasing, giving the fins a truncate appearance posteriorly; pec- 

 torals wholly wanting; caudal rounded. Color dusky olive, more or 

 less mottled, and Avith about eight dark, vertical stripes, these 

 varying very much in width and in number; blind side often with 

 round, dark spots, specially northern specimens usually immaculate 

 in southern ones. Vertebrae 8 -\- 20. 



The following artificial key, based on the most obvious external 

 characters, may be useful in distinguishing these species: 



^.—RIGHT-SIDED SPECIES. 



I. MOUTH LARGE, SYMMETRICAL. 



1. The Halibut. 



Lateral line with an arch in front; size 

 very large; scales smooth. 



