PLEURONECTIN^ 



331 



on ocular side of head nearly always rough : in some specimens these tuberculate 

 scales extend on to anterior part of body or even farther back ; 70 to 82 scales in a 

 longitudinal series above lateral line, 27 to 34 between lateral line and middle of back. 

 Lateral line with a distinct curve above the pectoral fin ; posterior prolongation of 

 supratemporal branch extending to below fourteenth to eighteenth rays of dorsal 

 fin ; mucous pores on head scarcely apparent. Dorsal 68-81 ; origin above anterior 

 edge or anterior part of eye ; all the rays simple, scaled on ocular side ; highest rays 

 a httle less than i length of head. Anal 52-63. Pectoral of ocular side with 10 to 

 12 rays (8 to 10 branched), length if to twice in that of head. Pelvics with 6 rays. 

 Caudal with ig rays (13 branched), rounded or double-truncate ; caudal peduncle 

 I J to 1 1 times as deep as long. Vertebras 40 ( 1 1 + 29) . Yellowish brown or olivaceous, 

 sometimes greyish or blackish, with or without irregular darker spots and blotches ; 

 sometimes numerous round pale spots of varying size ; median fins with darker 

 spots and blotches, sometimes vertically elongated to form short bars. 



Type. — Not traced. 



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

 and San Nicolas Island ; Bering Sea ; Okhotsk Sea. 



Specimens Examined : 



Attains to a length of 20 inches and a weight of 5 or 6 pounds. 



It seems probable that statistical investigation of a large series of specimens of 

 this species will reveal the existence of two, or even three, distinct races or subspecies. 

 Jordan and Evermann note that " specimens from Puget Sound and northward are 

 rougher than southern specimens and constitute a slight geographical variety for 

 which the name Lepidopselta bilineata innbrosa may be used ", Starks (191 1) has 

 also drawn attention to the marked differences between examples from Puget Sound 

 and those from Cahfornia. I find that Puget Sound specimens are very rough, having 

 strongly ctenoid or tuberculate scales all over the ocular side of the head and body, 

 but that examples from Alaska and Nanaimo are either intermediate in roughness 

 between those from Puget Sound and California, or approximate closely to the latter. 

 In addition to the rough squamation, Puget Sound specimens have a smaller head, 

 generally fewer and larger scales on cheek on blind side, somewhat fewer teeth, and 

 an average lower number of dorsal and anal rays (var. umbrosa). The measurements, 

 etc., of specimens in the British Museum are shown in the subjoined table. 



