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226 Storer's Synopsis of the Fishes of North JImerica. 



Pleuronectes oblongus, Spotted Flounder, Mitchill. Trans. Lit. and Phil. Soc. of N.Y., i. p. 391. 

 Rhombus aguosus, Watery Flounder, Storer, Bust. Journ. Nat. Hist., 1. p. 351. 



" " *' " Storek's Report, p. 146. 



Platessa oblonga, Oblong Flounder, Dekay's Report, p. 299, pi. 48, fig. 156. 

 Platessa ocellaris, Long-toothed Flounder, Dekay's Report, p. 300, pi. 47, fig. 152. 



I cannot but believe the species described and figured in Dekay's Report as the P. oblonga 

 and P. ocellaris are identical. The following are Dekay's characleristics of the P. oblonga : 

 — "Oblong, smooth. Nearly uniform brown; occasionally with spots. Caudal fin angu- 

 laled. Length, fifteen to twenty inches." While the P. ocellaris is thus described : — " Dor- 

 sal fin with more than ninety rays. Chin prominent. Teeth long. Upper surface with 

 ocellated and other spots. Tail rounded. Length, twelve to eighteen inches." 



A specimen lies before me, while writing this, with ocellated spots upon its surface, an 

 angulated caudal fin, a prominence at the chin, and less than ninety dorsal rays. 



The ocellated spots upon its surface and prominent chin would mark it as the P. ocellaris of 

 Dekay ; but that species, according to Dekay, has a " rounded tail," and a "dorsal with 

 more than ninety rays." 



The angulated caudal fin and number of dorsal rays (less than ninety) would point it out 

 as the P. oblonga of Mitchill. But Dr. Dekay would lead us to infer that it is without ocelli. 

 He says this species is " nearly uniform brown, occasionally with spots." 



I have, during the last season (1844), seen a large number of this species in the market 

 at the same time, and they presented the following characteristics. Some had distinct ocelli dis- 

 tributed over the greater portion of the body, while in others they tare so dim as scarcely to be 

 seen- They all had the chin prominent. It will be observed, by examining the descriptions of 

 the P. oblonga and P. ocellaris, by Dekay, he says of the former, " lower jaw prominent " ; 

 this is shown in his figure, but omitted in his characteristics ! Of the latter species, he re- 

 marks, " chin prominent " ; this character does not appear in the figure. They all have an 

 angular tail when unexpanded, which is more rounded when fully expanded. I have counted 

 eighty-eight, eighty-nine, ninety, and ninety-one rays in the first dorsal fin. 



I cann"ot, with these facts before me, consider the two species as distinct from each other. 



7. Platessa stellata, Pallas. 



Profile of the body broadly elliptical, terminated by a strap-shaped tail and a caudal fin scol- 

 loped between the rays. The dorsal and anal fins of the same form, and terminate opposite ; 

 these two fins conjointly give a rhomboidal outline to the fish. Color of the upper side liver- 

 brown, without spots ; of the under side white, tinged with red towards the tail. Fins red- 

 dish, with broad, vertical black stripes. Both sides of the body studded with stellated, bonv 

 tubercles. Under jaw the longer. 



D. (.'). P. (?)• V. (?). A. (0- C. (?)• Length, 1 foot. 



Arctic Sea, Richardson. 



Pleuronectes (Platessa) atellatus, Stellated Flounder, Pallas, Rich , Fauna Boreal. Americ, in. p. 257. 

 Platessa slellala, Dekay's Report, p. 301. 



