252 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. [28] 
Pleuronectes hirtus Abildgaard, Miiller, Zo6l. Danica, 1788, III, 36, taf. 103. 
Rhombus hirtus Yarrell, Brit. Fish., ed. 2, ii, 334. Giinther, iv, 413, 1862, and of several 
authors. 
Pleuronectes kitt Bloch & Schneider, Systema Ichthyologiz, 1801, 162. 
Habitat.—Coasts of Northern Europe, south to France. 
The specimens of this species which we have examined are from the 
North Sea. 
Genus XIV.—LEPIDORHOMBUS. 
Lepidorhombus Giinther, Catal. Fishes, iv, 411, 1862 (megastoma). 
TyPE: Pleuronectes megastoma Donovan = Pleuronectes whiff-iagonis 
Walbauin. 
This genus contains one or two European species, related to Zeugop- 
terus, but in general appearance resembling the species of Arnoglossus. 
ANALYSIS OF SPECIES OF LEPIDORHOMBUS. 
a. Dorsal rays, 85 to 87; anal rays, 67 to 69; depth, 24 in length; head, 34; interorb- 
ital space a very narrow scaly ridge; mouth very large, the maxillary 2} in head ; 
the anterior teeth hooked backwards, about 4 in head; eyes very large, the lower 
somewhat before the other; anterior rays of dorsa) short, but considerably exserted ; 
scales small, very deciduous. Lat.]. about 100. Vertebra 11+30—41. Color, yel- 
lowish brown, dorsal and anal with some dark blotches...-.. WHIFF-ILAGONIS, 25, 
aa. Dorsal rays, 78 to 80; anal rays, 58 to 64; depth, 24 in length; otherwise ‘essen- 
tially as in the preceding, of which it is probably a variety -----. NORVEGICUS, 26. 
25. LEPIDORHOMBUS WHIFF-IAGONIS. 
(THE Wuirr, MERRY SoLe, or SAIL FLUKE.) 
Passer Cornubiensis, ‘‘ Jago in Ray, Syn. Pisc., 163, f. 2,” 1713. 
Whiff Pennant, “ British Zoology, iii, 238, 1776.” 
Pleuronectes whiff-iagonis Walbaum, Artedi Piscium, iii, 120, 1792 (after Pennant). 
Pleuronectes megastoma Donovan, ‘ Brit. Fish., iii, pl. 41,1802,” and of many authors. 
Rhombus megastoma Giinther, iv, 411, and of numerous authors. 
Zeugopterus megastoma Collett, Norges Fiske, 138, 1875. 
Arnoglossus megastoma Day, British Fishes, iv, 21. 
Pleuronectes bosci Risso, Ichth. Nice, 1810, 319, pl. vii, f. 33 (Nice). 
Arnoglossus bosci Giinther, iv, 416. 
Pleuronectes pseudopolus “ Pennant, British Zool., iii, 324, pl. 411, ed. of 1812.” 
Rhombus cardina Cuvier, Régne Animal, ed. 2, 1828 (excl. syn. pars), based on the Whiff 
of Ray and la Petite Limandelle of Duhamel. 
Zeugopterus velivolans (Richardson) ‘ Yarrell, Brit. Fish., ed. 3, 1,656,” 1859. - 
Zeugopterus gottsche ‘‘ Winther, Ichth. Dan. Mar., 38.” 
Habitat.—Coasts of Europe, most abundant northward. 
This species is not uncommon in Northern Europe, where it is held 
in slight esteem as a food-fish, being thin, dry, and bony. It reaches a 
length of probably less than 2 feet. 
Its names, “ whiff,” “‘merry sole,” and “ sail-fluke,” are said to be de- 
rived from its habit of frequently swimming at the surface of the water 
“ with its tail erected above the water, like a boat under sail.” 
