PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 79 



Paralichthys maculosus Girard. 



Uropsetta californica Gill, 1864. 

 Hippoglossus californicus Ayres. 



D. G9-76. A. 53-60. C. 3-12-3. P. 10-12. Y. 6. 



Body elongated, dorsal outline forming a low regular curve from the 

 junction of the snout to the caudal peduncle; snout rather long, a slight 

 depression over the anterior part of the upper eye, where it joins the 

 dorsal outline. Abdominal outUue from the extremity of the mandible 

 to the caudal peduncle forming a curve corresponding to that of the 

 dorsal outline. Greatest depth a little less than f ; length of head about 

 -3^ of the entire length; eye about i-^, snout -5^4 of the length of the 

 head; interocular space -^^-^ of the same; width of caudal peduncle 

 about i of the greatest depth; gTcatest distance from anal to straight 

 portion of lateral line less than the length of the head. Anterior nos- 

 trils of both sides with a tongue-like tlap on their posterior border; pos- 

 terior nostrils patulous, small, slightly in advance of the orbit. Eyes 

 equal in front, small, the upper well below tlie dorsal ridge, yet some- 

 what directed upwards. Interocular space smooth, flat, not elevated, a 

 scarcely perceptible ridge from origin of lateral hue to upper eye, where 

 it divides, forming a raised margin to the posterior portion of that eye; 

 a short ridge over the anterior part of the upper margin of the lower 

 eye; in large individuals the width of the interocular space exceeds the 

 length of the eye. Mouth large; maxillary reaching to a vertical from 

 the posterior margin of the lower eye, and to a distance below that eye 

 exceeding its longitudinal diameter. Mandible about fV of the length 

 of the head, its tip level with the upper margin of the lower eye; its 

 straight lower border forming a very obtuse angle with the abdominal 

 outline; a shght symphysial prominence. Teeth in both jaws slender, 

 acute, slightly recurved, about 15 in the upper and 8 in the lower jaw 

 in individuals under 12" long, besides numerous rasp-like teeth in the 

 hinder part of the intermaxillary. The front teeth in the mandible are 

 longer and more recurved than those farther back. First pair of upper 

 pharyngeals a cushion of villiform teeth, with a row of about 12 larger 

 recurved ones; second and third harnpygeals united, with three or four 

 irregular rows of teeth like the larger of the first pair; lower pharyn- 

 geals covered with ^^lliform teeth. Gill-rakers of first pair of branchial 

 arches slender, flexible, nearly as long as the eye. Dorsal commencing 

 «ver the front margin of the upper eye; the first ray slightly twisted to 

 the left; the length of the rays increasing but slightly to its greatest 

 height in the centre of its length, and thence diminishing very slowly, 

 forming a low arch; the distance between its termination and the origin 

 of the caudal about equal to the depth of the caudal peduncle ; dorsal 

 and anal coterminal. A few of the posterior rays of the dorsal and anal 

 are bifiu-cate. Anal without spine, its origin very slightly behind the 

 vertical from the anterior axil of the pectorals, and forming a low arch 

 similar to that fin, the longest rays equal in length to those of the dor- 



