PKOCKEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 19 



THE CRAIO FliOUXOEB OF EUKOPE, GI.YPTOCEPHAt,tJ« CYIVO- 

 «JL,OSSUS, OX THE COAST OF NORTH AMERICA. 



By a. IRHOWN COODEl asid TABLET01\ H. BEA!S. 



An unfamiliar pleuronectoid lisli was found in our waters, in 1877, by 

 the United States Fish Commission (Prof. S. F. Baird, Commissioner). 

 Numerous specimens were trawled in the deep water off Salem, Mass., 

 on La Have Bank, and on the coast of Nova Scotia, off" Halifax, in 

 Halifax Harbor, and in Bedford Basin, Halifax. 



A careful study i)roves that they belong- to a well-known European 

 species, the Plcuronectes cynoglos.sus of Linu6, lately referred by Pro- 

 fessor Gill to the genus GlyptocephaliLs of Gottsche. We also discover 

 the identity of this species with Glijj^tocephahis acadianus, desciibed by 

 Gill, from a single specimen (No. 12685), taken by the Commission in 

 1872, from the herring-weir on Treat's Island, Eastport, Me. 



Below are given detailed measurements of twenty-two individuals, 

 including authentically named European specimens from the University 

 of Christianla, and the Bonaparte Collection, the type of G. acadianus, 

 three specimens from Massachusetts Bay, live from La Have Bank, and 

 eleven from the vicinity of Halifax. 



The genus of Gottsche was carefully redescribed by Professor Gill in 

 1873,* and at the same time was published a full specific description of 

 the Eastport specimen. Although this description is founded upon an 

 individual which is among the most elongate of the series before us, it 

 is thoroughly satisfactory for all, if the tendency to variation in the 

 following particulars be noted.t 



(1) Height of body. — This is stated to be about 2| of length exclusive 

 ol' cauilal, and 3^ iu total length. In the series studied, the proportions 

 of this element varied, stated in units of hundredths of total length 

 (including caudal), from 0.245 to 0.375, No. 12685 having it 30. An 

 equally wide variation in the European fish is recorded by Parnell.f 



The Pleuronectes elongatus of Yarrell is not nearly so elongated as 

 No. 21061 a (the figure of Couch has height about 0.275); and since no 

 other diagnostic characters have been described, we place it without 

 hesitation iu the synonymy of G. cynoglosstis. 



(2) Height of caudal peduncle. — This element is subject to very slight 

 variation, measuring usually 0.07 of total iu both European and Amer- 

 ican specimens. The most elongate, slender forms have it slightly nar- 

 rower. In No. 12685 it measures 0.06, and 0.065 in No. 21001 b. 



(3) Length of head.— This, varies from 0.15 to 0.175. In No. 12685 the 



* Oa a new American species of Pleuronectoid ( Glyptocephalws acadiainis). By Theo- 

 dore Gill, M. D. <^ Proceedings of the Acadenij' of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, 

 187:5, pp. 3(50-362. 



t Instead of having- its radial formula D. 110 ; A. 100, as stated iu the description, No^ 

 1268.') has it D. 107; A. 96. 



t Fishes of the Frith of Forth, p. 210, pi. xxxviii, and in Memoirs of the Werneria,n 

 Society, vii, p. 370. 



