23. soLEA. 475 



the head. Caudal rounded, longer than the head. Greyish : head, 

 body and fins with nnmeious hlackish, irregular, waving, sometimes 

 bifurcate transverse bands, which are broader than the interspaces ; 

 caudal with rounded deep-black spots. The left side uniform white. 

 Pacific coast of Central America. 



a. Fine specimen (58 lines long). Panama. From Mr. Fraser's 



Collection. 

 6, f-e. Adult and half-grown : bad state. Gulf of Fonseca. Presented 



by Sir J. Itichardson. 

 ?/. Eight and a half inches long. From the Haslar Collection. — 



This specimen is not in a good state of preservation, entirely 



black (perhaps artificially coloured), and has numerous fringes 



on the left side of the snout. 



27. Solea mentalis. 

 D. 61. A. 45. P. 2. L. lat. 95. 



No trace of a pectoral on the left side ; that on the right (juite rudi- 

 mentarj-, scarcely longer than the eye. The right ventral fin is com- 

 posed of five rays, which are contimious with the anal. A few scales 

 on the nape are enlarged, and nearly twice the size of those on the 

 body. 8nout with short fringes on the blind side, but without elongate 

 barbels; the right lower Up with inconspicuous fringes. Mental 

 region very broad ; lower jaw somewhat prominent. The height of the 

 body is contained once and three-foui'ths in the total length (-without 

 caudal), the length of the head thrice and three-fourths. The width 

 of the interorliital space is more than that of the orbit ; the upper eye 

 slightly in advance of the lower. The longest dorsal rays are in the 

 posterior third of the fin, their length being a little more than one- 

 half of that of the head ; caudal fin roiuided, shorter than the head. 

 YclloAvish-olive, marbled with brown ; caudal Avith very smuU irre- 

 gular brown spots. Blind side uniform yellowish. 



Para. 



a-h. Seven inches long. River Capin (Para). Purchased of Mr. 

 Stevens. 



28. Solea fonsecensis. 



D. 58. A. 44. P. 2. L. lat. ca 85. 



No trace of a pectoral on tbe left side ; that on the right not much 

 longer than the eye. The right ventrd fin is composed of five rays, 

 which are continuous vnXh. the anal. Scales on the nape twice or 

 thrice as large as those on the body. The upper part of the snout 

 slightly overlaps the lower jaw. The left anterior j)art of the head 

 with nmuerous tentacles ; the right lower lip with very distinct slender 

 fringes ; nostril on the light side in a wide and sliort tube. The height 

 of the body is contained once and five-sixths in the total lengtli (w-ith- 

 out caudal), the length of the head thrice and a third. The width 

 of the interorbital space is less than the diameter of the eye ; the 



