402 NOTES AND MEMOEANDA. 



number of this Journal (N. S., No. 2, p. 105), The smallest of 

 these meausres 15 mm. The series of younger examples, doubtfully- 

 referred by Professor Mcintosh and Prince (op. cit., pp. 845 — 847) 

 to this species, is acknowledged by these authors to be incomplete, 

 and in the light of more recent observations it seems certain that 

 some of them are not turbot. 



It has recently been my good fortune to obtain such a series of 

 specimens, ranging from 5*50 to 16*25 mm., as serves in great 

 measure to fill up the existing gap in the life history. They were 

 taken at the surface in various parts of the North Sea, partly by 

 myself and partly by Mr. F. Klotz, skipper of the steam trawler 

 " Dominican," to whom I am also indebted for much other valuable 

 material. The localities and dates of capture are enumerated else- 

 where by Mr. Cunningham, so need not be recapitulated here. 



Reserving for the present a detailed and illustrated description, 



I think the following characters will serve to ensure the recognition 

 of similar examples. 



All specimens which I have examined possess a well-developed 

 air-bladder. The snout is short and obtuse, less than the diameter 

 of the eye in smaller examples, about equal to it in examples of 



II mm., and becoming slightly greater in larger specimens. The 

 articular region is more or less prominent at all stages. In the 

 smallest example the tail is narrow and the abdomen prominent, 

 the body slightly flattened, and the eyes practically symmetrical. 

 At about 7 mm. the asymmetry becomes better marked. By the 

 deepening of the caudal region the prominence of the abdomen has 

 disappeared. The greatest height of the body without fins is 

 nearly a third of the total length, and occurs in the region of the 

 clavicle. The marginal fins are still very narrow. At about 

 11 mm. the contour is roughly fusiform; the greatest height, about 

 half the total length without the caudal fin, is situated just behind 

 the anus, or midway between the snout and the origin of the caudal 

 fin. The marginal fins are much broader and supported by rays. 

 The right eye is just beginning to show above the ridge in a speci- 

 men of 13'5 mm. In the largest example about half of the right 

 eye is visible from the left side, and the greatest height of the body 

 is nearly two thirds of the total length without the caudal fin. The 

 fin-ray formula, in specimens in which it is ascertainable, agrees 

 suSiciently with that of the adult. 



The most peculiar feature of these young turbot is the cephalic 

 armature. In its maximum development it may be described as 

 follows : — A pectinate ossific ridge overhangs the postero-dorsal 

 region of each eye ; a short ridge, bearing stout, postero-ventrally 

 directed and somewhat curved spines, occurs on the articular region 



