90 



PROCEEDINGS OF UNI TED STATES NAIIONAL MUSEUM. 



no scales on the other fins. Color uniform brownish or cinereous ; fins 

 darker. The color formed by minute dark spots on the scales. Mem- 

 brane between tin-rays closely set with dark jjoints. Blind side whitish, 

 the ground tint clouded with unmerous black points. 



Dimensions. 



Greatest length, in inches 



Length without caudal 



Greatest depth of body 



Greatest depth over dorsal and anal fins 



Length of head 



Longitudinal diameter of lower orbit 



Width of interocular space 



Length of snout, fiom lower eye 



Length of pectoral, colored side 



Length of pectoral, blind side 



Length of veutrals 



Width of caudal peduncle 



Distance from tip of lower jaw to first ray of anal . 



Greatest distance from anal to lateral line 



Length of lower jaw 



Length of longest dorsal ray 



Length of snout, from upper eye 



Number of dorsal rays 



Number of anal rays „ 



9| 



No. 2. 



No. 3. 



lOG 

 89 



No. 4. 



12i 

 4i 



3tB 



Two other specimens had respectively D. 94, A. 80, and D. 04, A. 82. 

 The length of the pectoral, as might be expected in so long and uarrow 

 a fin, varies somewhat ; and the proportional length of the first five 

 rays is not constant. No. 4 was measured wliile perfectly fresh ; the 

 others after a few days' immersion in alcohol. In the fresh fish, the in- 

 terocular space is not raised above the eyes, and the upper boundary of 

 the orbit is hard to define ; but, in alcoholic specimens, the interocidar 

 space stands out as a narrow ridge of bone. Like the preceding species, 

 G. zachirus is of rare occurrence in the markets, and is not taken in the 

 Bay of San Francisco. 



During the six months previous to March none Avere taken -, but the 

 dealers assure me that it usually makes its appearance, in hmited qnan- 

 tities, in the spring months. Most of the dealers, however, do not dis- 

 tinguish between this fish and the precedmg one, and sell both as '' Sole." 



One dealer, who evidently knew the fish, describing it by its long pec- 

 toral, assured me that its flavor was superior to that of any other of our 

 species ; I mention this because I had myself previously come to the 

 same conclnsion. Its flesh is very firm and white, and its flavor ap- 

 proaches that of the true sole. Ko. 4 is the largest I have seen, and 

 from the answers I obtain to enquiries, I beheve it is beyond the average 

 size. The long pectoral, bluff snout, and presence of teeth on the colored 

 side of the mouth at once distinguish this species from the preceding, 

 as well as from e\ery other species. The nostrils in this and the pre- 



