NATURAL HISTORY. li" 



10.— COTTUS POLARIS. 



COTTUS POLARIS.— .Sni : Supp. to Parn/s 1st Voyage— p. ccxiii. 

 C. imberbis, capite spinis duabus, operculis spiiiis quatuor, armatis. (Sabine.) 



This species of Cottus was found abundantly in pools of water, left by the falling of 

 the tide, near the mouths of rivers, or streams of fresh water, on the east side of the 

 isthmus of Boothia, and particularly so along the low shores of Shenff Harbour. 

 Those examined by me agreed very nearly with Captain Sabine's description, excepting, 

 only, some slight difference in the number of the fin rays, svhich from the average 

 of a great many noted by me, but varying considerably with each other, I found to be 

 as follows : 



P 15. V 5. A 15. D 8, 13. C 12 to 14. 



It seldom exceeds two inches in length, and from its numbers, affords a supply 

 of food to the gulls, ducks, and other waterfowl that resort to those regions to breed. 



11.— PLEURONECTES HIPPOGLOSSUS. 



PLEURONECTES HIPPOGLOSSUS.— Laccpede, Hist. Nai.dcs Poissojis— vol. iv.,p. (301. 



Cuv: Rig. ^Inim.— vol. ii., p. 340. 

 Fab: Faun. Grcenl.—p. 161. 

 PLEURONECTE FLETAN.— BZocA, /cA.— pi. 47. 

 HALIBUT.— Pcnn. Brit. Zoo/.— vol. iii., p. 184. 



The common Halibut of our shores is found abundantly near the west coast of 

 Greenland, but it seldom attains to a very great size. The largest seen by O. 

 Fabricius did not much exceed four feet in length : those taken by us varied 

 in this from thirty-eight to forty-four inches; and in weight from twenty-two 



