82 REPORT OF COMMISSIONERS OF INLAND FISHERIES. 



almost entirely denuded of scales; it had a singular protuberance 

 over the eye, noticed by Dr. Mitchell in his melanogaster.'^" 



A dark-bellied variety appeared in Greenwich Bay, R. I., in 1897. 

 They had first appeared some year's before that, but in that year 

 attained their maximum abundance, which was estimated to amount 

 to 33 per cent, of the whole number of flat-fish. The numbers of 

 this colored variety gradually declined so that in 1900 they were 

 estimated at 4 per cent., and they have since almost entirely dis- 

 appeared.! 



SAND-DAB. 



{Lophopsetta maculata.) 

 Plate VII. 



I. Habitat and Distribution. This species ranges from Casco Bay 

 to South Carolina. It is abundant everywhere in shallow water, 

 particularly on sandy bottoms. It is present in Rhode Island 

 waters throughout the year. This fish reaches a length of ten or 

 twelve inches, and is very abundant and its flesh of good flavor, yet 

 it is of no commercial importance because, on account of its ex- 

 treme thinness, the amount of its flesh is so small that it is of little 

 use as food. It is in fact so thin that it is quite translucent, which 

 fact is the source of one of its common names "The Window 

 Pane." 



II. Reproduction. The sand-dab spawns in the early part of 

 June. The eggs are buoyant, non-adhesive, 1-24 of an inch in 

 diameter, and hatch in eight days when the average temperature is 

 51° to 56° F. According to Dr. Smith, there is a large run of these 

 fishes at Woods Hole in June during the spawning period. 



III. Food. The food of this species seems to consist chiefly of 

 small fish, and the smaller bottom invertebrates like small crabs and 

 annelids. 



* Quoted from DeKay, N. Y. Fauna, Fishes, 1842, 29(), PI. 49, Fig. 158. 

 t Bull. U S. Fi.sh Comm., 19, 1899, 305. 

 Report of R I. Fish Comm., 31, 1900. 19. 



