442 



SCANDINAVIAN FISHES. 



It is t)nly in the length (height) of the ventral tin 

 of the eye side and the length of the middle rays of 

 the caudal tin that tiie averages in the Scandinavian 

 Brill and Turbot ran in the opposite direction to the 

 difference ^\•hicll tlie table on p. 407 shows between the 

 Plaice and the Flounder. The average length of the 

 longest ray in the ventral tin of the eye side, expressed 

 in percent of the length of the body, has proved in 

 the Scandinavian IJrill to be. I'b, in the Scandinavian 

 Turbot 7"7, wjiile the corresponding average length 

 of the middle rays of the caudal tin is 17'5 in the 

 Brill and 19 in tlie Turbot. The ventral tins are also 

 smaller in all respects in the Brill than in the Turbot, 

 the average length of the base of the ventral tin, ex- 

 pi'essed in percent of the length of the body, in the 

 specimens of the Brill included in tlie above table, 

 being 9'1 on the eye side and 7"4 on the l)lind side, 

 while the corresponding percentages in the specimens 

 of the Turbot included in the above table are respect- 

 ively in and 8-9. 



To this comparison we may also add that, just as 

 the Plaice has more vertebra; and more rays in the 

 dorsal and anal tins than the Flounder, the Brill also 

 surpasses the Turbot in these respects. And just as 

 the Plaice generally has ordy cycloid scales, while the 

 Flounder is distinguished by its spinous warts, the Brill 

 is furnished with cycloid scales, thin, small and im- 

 bricated on both sides of the body, on the rays of the 

 vertical tins, and on part of the ra}s of the left pec- 

 toral tin, while the Turbot, as we have mentioned, is 

 without these scales, but lias its spinous tubercles. 



In other respects, hoA\'ever, these two species are 

 so like each other that no detailed description of the 

 Brill can be necessary. Still, the Brill is much thinner 

 and of a more elliptical form. The greatest thickness 

 of the body, which occurs in tlie anterior part of the 

 abdominal region, seems never to exceed 8 % of the 

 length of the body; in young specimens, between 9 and 

 1 1 cm. long, we have found this percentage to vary 

 between 7"8 and 7'2, while in more adult specimens, 

 u}) to a length of 22 cm., it has varied between 6"6 

 and 6'4. Another, more important characteristic appears 

 in the anterior rays of the dorsal tin, the anal tin, and 

 the ventral fin of the eye side. The first rays of the 

 dorsal fin, in full-grown specimens back to the fifth ray, 

 are deepl-v and repeated!}- branched, the first and second 

 rays being also usually longer than those immediately 

 following them, which graduallv diminish in length until 

 at the fifth or sixth rav — in old specimens at the 

 seventh rav — they again begin h\ little and little to 

 increase in length". The first, nudtifid rays also project 

 beyond the true fin-membrane, sometimes to half their 

 length, but ai'c themselves furnished with a small, mem- 

 branous fiap along the anterior and posterior margins, 

 thus acquiring a flat, lobate appeai'ance. The remainder 

 of the dorsal fin'' is composed of more or less distinctly 

 bifid rays, their tips above the fin-membrane growing 

 gradually shorter behind. The greatest height (longest 

 ray) of the dorsal fin occurs bet^\•een the 35th and 50th 

 rays. Its lieginning lies further forward on the snout 

 than in the Turl^ot, a |)oint that is best illustrated by 

 the circumstance that the anterior nostril of the Idind 



" The anterior pnrt of tlu; dorsal fin is very frequently elevated in the preceding genus. 



The anterior rays of the (hirsal fin, in adult specimens back to at least the 25th ray (as in tlie preceding species), are furnished 

 on the hlind side of the body with a thin, raised, niembratious margin. 



