No.1744. REVIEW OF FLOUNDERS STARKS LND THOMPSON. 



279 



The dorsal arises below, or at a level with, the corner of the mouth 

 on the blind side of the head, and about nine rays arc off the median 

 line of the body. The ventral of the oyod side is considerably 

 posterior to that of the blind, and the distance between their inser- 

 tions is contained ten times in the head, or three and one-half times 

 in the upper orbit. The caudal peduncle is longer and more slender 

 than in any other American species in the genus. 



The scales are small, not imbricated, and somewhat concealed by 

 the skin, especially on the head. The dorsal branch of the lateral line 

 runs back to about ten rays from the last ray of the dorsal, but the 

 .interior branch is entirely lacking in the specimens at hand. 



The color in alcohol is brownish, sometimes mottled with darker, 

 especially at the middle of the lateral line, and posteriorly at the 

 bases of the vertical fins. The vertical fins are brown, sometimes 

 mottled, and narrowly edged with white. The posterior half of the 

 caudal is dark and edged with white across the tips of the rays. 



Here described from several specimens from between San Francisco 

 and San Pedro, California, from 8 to 10 inches in length. 



Measurements of Pleuronichthys decurrens. 



Length of body without caudal, in mm 



Depth of body in hundredths of length 



Length of head 



Upper orbit, longitudinal diameter 



Distance across both orbits 



Length of maxillary 



Ventral of eyed side posterior to that of blind.. 



Length caudal peduncle 



Depth of caudal peduncle , 



Number of dorsal rays 



Anal rays 



Scales, below lateral line, in longitudiual series 



Gill-rakers on first gill arches 



158 



54 

 31 

 11 



15 

 6. 2 



3 



5. 5 



11 



74 



4!) 



90 



4 + 8 



4 + 8 



PLEURONICHTHYS CORNUTUS Schlegel. 



This species is apparently most closely related to Pleuronichthys 

 verticalis, having similar dentition; a somewhat similar interorbital 

 ridge and spine (though not nearly so high); and a small number of 

 gill-rakers. It differs from it in the greater number of scales; more 

 numerous rays in the dorsal and anal fins; a smaller upper orbit, and 

 a shorter and more slender caudal peduncle. 



Head 4 to 4^ in length of body to base of caudal; depth L§ to 2. 

 Upper orbit 'A to 3$ in head; maxillary 1 to •!': length of caudal 

 peduncle 7 to S; its depth 2. Number of dorsal rays 71 to 75; anal 

 rays 52 to 57; scales in series below lateral line 100 to 108; gill- 

 rakers 3 + 5 to 7. 



The dorsal contour is broken slightly at the eye by the projecting 

 snout as in Pleuronichthys verticalis. The interorbital ridge is moder- 

 ate in height, trenchant and narrow, slightly overhanging the snout, 



