210 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. vol. xxxi. 



This is one of the most abundant of Japanese shore flounders, being 

 everywhere common. 



We have numerous specimens from Mororan, Hakodate, Aomori, 

 Tsuruga, Onomichi, Yokohama, Tokyo, and Ko])e. We have also a 

 photograph of a specimen from Uzen in Echigo. Mr. Kitahara 

 records it, in letter, from Obama in Kiusiu. The species is unusually 

 variable. 



(From Yokohama; yol'o, flat; Jiama^ beach.) 



20. VER^^QUA Jordan and Starks. 

 T m/e^ita Jordan and Stakks, Bull. U. S. Fish Coram., XX, 1904, p. 628 (acJine). 



Allied to Mlcrostonms and to Linumda. 



Body rather elongate, covered with very fine cycloid scales; lateral 

 lino with a small arch in front, without accessory dorsal branch; 

 mouth small and with about 7 large blunt teeth in a single row on 

 blind side; eyes close together, separated by a high naked ridge which 

 is continued backward; gillrakers very small, not numerous; no anal 

 spine; caudal rounded; eves and color on right side. 



35. VER^QUA ACHNE Jordan and Starks. 



Yerxqua acline Jordan and Starks, Bull. U. S. Fish Comm., XXII, 1904, p. 625, 

 pi. vu, fig. 1 (Matsushima Bay). 



Ilahitat. — Matsushima Bay in deep water. 



Head, 4.33 in length; depth, 2.87; D. 85; A. 69; scales, 135; upper 

 eye, 3.16 in head; snout from upper eye, 1; pectoral, 2; ventral, 1; 

 highest dorsal ra3\s, 2; caudal, 1.1. 



Form rather slender, the outlines forming low even curves; anterior 

 upper outline of head unbroken and continuous with body curve; 

 mouth very small, the maxillary reaching a little past front of lower 

 eye but scarcely to edge of pupil; 7 large and very blunt teeth, set in 

 a single row on blind side only; C3^es narrowly separated by a high 

 naked ridge, the lower the more anterior; interorbital ridge continued 

 backward and upward along lower margin of upper e3'e, forming a 

 high, conspicuous, smooth ridge; a slight angle on lower edge where 

 it turns upward, but no tuljercles developed; nostrils close together, 

 in short broad tubes, anterior reaching to edge of preorbital; gdl slit 

 stopping at upper edge of pectoral; gillrakers very small — 8 on lower 

 limb of arch. Scales ver}^ fine, everywhere cycloid; ver}' small non- 

 imbricated scales present on dorsal and anal nearl}^ to tips of rajS 

 except on the brown streak behind each ray; caudal thickly covered 

 with similar scales; scales on pectoral rays only ; on base of ventral onl}' 

 on both ra3's and membrane; small imbedded scales on snout; lateral line 

 perfectly straight and horizontal to tip of pectoral, where it turns up 

 and forms a low but conspicuous arch, the cord of its curve 3 times its 

 height. Dorsal l)eginning .^^lighth' on blind side above middle of eye; 



I 



