HYBRIDS BETWEEN THE TURBOT AND THE BRILL. 298 
be found to approach each other in general coloration, but it will be 
conceded that the broad distinction which I have laid down holds 
good in the majority of cases. Preservation in alcohol rather 
emphasises the distinction in the case of brill and turbot, but, of the 
three hybrids, one acquired after preservation a colour corresponding 
to that of a turbot similarly preserved, while the other two retained 
the reddish tinge of the brill. 
Scales.—The character of the scales forms the most striking 
feature in the three specimens, and is practically identical in all. 
In place of the imbricating scales of the brill or the isolated 
tubercles of the turbot, both sides of the body are beset with large 
more or less oval, cycloidal scales, which, though never actually 
imbricating, are placed fairly close together. On the ocular side of 
the body each scale is very thin and slightly convex, the most pro- 
minent part being at the central point of the concentric system of 
faintly marked ridges situate behind the middle line of the scale. 
The larger scales exhibit a number of faint grooves for insertion 
anteriorly, but there is no free edge. ‘The whole scale is between 
two pigmented layers of dermis, but the upper layer on the ocular 
side is in most cases incomplete at the greatest convexity of the 
scale, so that the latter is, to that limited extent, exposed. The 
skin is so thin that it might readily be abraded, and to what extent 
the partial exposure of the scales may be due to artificial causes 
(e. g. injury in the trawl, &c.) it is impossible to say. The largest 
scales occur on the lateral parts, especially on the caudal peduncle, 
and anteriorly in the neighbourhood of the lateral line. In a 
specimen of 43°3 cm., one of the largest from this region measures 
® by 35 mm. ‘Towards the abdominal region the scales become 
smaller and irregularly rounded, as also on parts of the interspi- 
nous ridges. On the jaws they are small and circular, rather small 
and nearly round on the head, except on the malar part, where they 
become larger and elongate. On the fin-rays the scales are very small, 
and here alone they show some attempt at imbrication. On the blind 
side the scales are essentially similar to those of the ocular side, but 
are less convex and almost invariably veiled by skin. They correspond 
in distribution, with the exception that there are only a few on the 
mandible and none on the maxilla or the prominent parts of the 
gill-cover, while the fin-rays are only feebly scaled. 
Dimensions.—Of the three specimens two were measured after 
preservation, the third being measured both in the fresh and pre- 
served conditions. 
