458 PLETJEONECTID^. 



20. AMMOTRETIS. 



Eyes on the right side, on the same level, or the lower rather in 

 advance. Mouth nnsymmetrical, narrower on the right side than on 

 the left, the length of the left maxillary being less than one- third of 

 that of the head ; teeth on the bliad side only, where they are villi- 

 form, forming bands; no vomerine or palatine teeth. Dorsal and 

 anal rays branched and scaly ; the dorsal fin commences on the ex- 

 tremity of the snout and is not contiuued on to the caudal. Two 

 ventrals, the right in the same line and continuous with the anal. 

 Scales small, ctenoid ; lateral line straight. GUI-openings narrow, 

 the gill-membranes being broadly united below the throat; gUl- 

 rakers short, conical. 



Tasmania. 



1. Ammotretis rostratus. 



B. 7. D. 80. A. 53. P. 12. Y. dextr. 6, sin. 4. L. lat. 90. 

 The upper part of the snout is produced into a flap overhanging 

 the lower jaw. 

 Norfolk Bay. 



a. Four inches long. Presented by Sir J. Richardson. 



Description. — The height of the body is nearly one-half of the total 

 length (without caudal), the length of the head two-sevenths. Snout 

 scarcely longer than the eye, the diameter of which is one-fifth of the 

 length of the head ; its upper part is produced and bent downwards 

 into a flap which overlaps the lower jaw. The cleft of the mouth is 

 strongly twisted towards the left side, and curved ; on the right side 

 it does not extend to the vertical from the orbit ; nasal opening small, 

 in front of the interorbital space. The lower eye is scarcely in advance 

 of the upper ; both are of moderate size, and separated by a scaly space, 

 the width of which is one-half of the vertical diameter of the eye. 

 The dorsal fin commences on the foreinost part of the rostral appen- 

 dage and terminates at a short distance from the caudal ; its ante- 

 rior rays are nearly entirely free, not connected by a membrane ; its 

 longest rays are behind the middle of the fin, their length being 

 i-ather more than one-half of that of the head. Caudal rounded, 

 shorter than the head ; the rays of the right ventral occupy the whole 

 space between chin and anal fin, whilst the base of the left ventral 

 is much shorter. Scales on the right side with about ten small spines, 

 those on the left with about six. Uniform brownish-olive. 



21. RHOMBOSOLEA. 



Eyes on the right side, the lower in advance of the upper. Mouth 

 unsymmetrical, narrower on the right side than on the left, the length 

 of the left maxillary being less than one-third of that of the head ; 

 teeth on the blind side only, where they are viUiform, forming bands ; 

 no vomerine or palatine teeth. Most of the dorsal and anal rays 

 branched. The dorsal fin commences on the foremost part of the 

 snout. Only one ventral, which is continuous with the anal. Scales 



