PLEURONECTIN^ 311 



close to edge of head. Maxillary extending to below middle of eye or not quite as 

 far. length 2J to nearly 3 in that of head ; lower jaw projecting, about twice in head. 

 14 to 17 gill-rakers on lower part of anterior arch. 100 to 112 scales in lateral hne, 

 40 to 46 between lateral line and middle of back. Lateral line with a supratemporal 

 branch, which divides into a short anterior portion and a long posterior prolongation 

 extending to below the eighteenth to twenty-second rays of dorsal fin. Dorsal 79-85 ; 

 first ray nearly entirely free from membrane, its height 3 to 3! in length of head. 

 .\nal 57-61. Pectoral of ocular side with 10 to 12 rays (7 to 9 branched), length 2| 

 to 2| in that of head. Caudal with 16 to 20 rays (ii to 14 branched), rounded ; caudal 

 peduncle twice or more than twice as deep as long. Brownish ; head, body and fins 

 finely speckled with darker. 



Type. — Not traced. 



Distribution. — Pacific coast of North America, from Sitka to Monterey. 



Specimens Examined : 



2 (255, 275 mm.). Vaguina Bay, Oregon. Bretherton. 

 I (320 mm.). San Francisco Bay. Gerrard. 



3 (255-400 mm.). Pt. Reyes, Cal. Eigenmann. 



I (250 mm.). Monterey, Cal. U.S. Nat. Mus. 



I (212 ,, ). California. Ayres. 



This species is said to attain to a length of about 20 inches and a weight of from 

 4 to 5 pounds. 



Genus 10. VEKASPER. 



Verasper, Jordan and Evermann (ex Jordan and Gilbert MS.), 1898, Bull. U.S. Nat. Mus., xlvii (3), 

 p. 2618 [Verasper moseri, (Jordan and Gilbert) Jordan and Evermann]. 



Body ovate, compressed. Eyes on the right side, separated by a rather flat, 

 scaled space of moderate width, the upper close to edge of head. Olfactory laminae 

 in moderate number, parallel, without rachis. Mouth of moderate size, subsymme- 

 trical, the length of the maxillary scarcely i that of head ; dentition about equally 

 developed on both sides ; teeth obtusely conical, not greatly enlarged anteriorly ; in 

 two series in upper jaw and in a single series in lower jaw, except anteriorly, where 

 there may be an additional irregular series ; vomer toothless. Gill-rakers short, 

 stout, with a patch of spines on their inner margins, few in number ; lower pharyngeals 

 narrow, scarcely approximated anteriorly, each with conical teeth arranged more or 

 less in three rows. Dorsal fin commencing at a short distance liehind nostrils of 

 blind side and above eye ; most of the rays simple, scaled on both sides. Tip of first 

 interhaemal spine projecting to a greater or lesser extent in front of anal fin. Pectoral 

 fin of ocular side a little larger than that of blind side ; middle rays branched. Pelvic 

 fins short-based, subequal and subsymmetrical. Caudal fin with the middle rays 

 longest ; caudal peduncle short. Scales small, adherent, ctenoid on ocular side, 

 mostly cycloid on blind side ; no supplementary scales. Lateral line with a rounded 

 curve above the pectoral fin ; a short supratemporal branch. Vent median, between 

 the pelvic fins ; 3 -f i pyloric appendages. 



Two closely related species from Japanese and Cfiinese Seas. 



Synopsis of the Species. 



I. Anterior curve of lateral line low, its height 33 to 4 in its width ; dorsal and 



anal fins with rounded, dark spots . . . .1. variegatus. 



II. Anterior curve of lateral line higher, its height 2j to 2^ in its width ; dorsal 



and anal fins with vertical dark bars . . . . . .2. moseri. 



