THE SMOOTH DAB. 367 



commencing' over the anterior part of the orbit^ and ending near the 

 caudal rajs ; the first ray short, about the length of the orbit ; the 

 succeeding thirty gradually increasing in height, the next thirty-four 

 about equal, the rest gradually decreasing, the last very short and 

 fine, the middle rays rather longer than half the length of the head. 

 Caudal rounded at the end, the middle ray equalling the length of 

 the head ; ventrals small, placed in advance of the base of the pec- 

 torals the middle ray as long as the base of the five first rays of the 

 dorsal. Anal commencing nearly under the base of the pectorals, 

 and terminating under the last ray of the dorsal ; the twelve first 

 rays gradually increasing in height the following thirty of nearl}' 

 equal length, the rest gradually decreasing, the last very short, the 

 middle rays as long as the base of the first ten. Pectorals about half 

 the length of the head ; lateral line slightly curved over the pectorals, 

 from thence running straight to the end of the middle caudal ray. 

 Lips thick and fleshy ; jaws of equal length ; teeth obtuse, set close 

 together in one row ; the first two on the lower jaw a little apart from 

 the rest ; on the eye side of the jaws the teeth are deficient ; mouth 

 small ; lower orbit very slightlj^ in advance of the upper. Scales 

 distinct, oval, entire. Number of fin rays — 

 D. 87; P. 11; V. 5; A. 73; C. 17. 



This fish is readily distinguished from the rest of the spe- 

 cies in the same genus, in having both jaws of equal length ; 

 in the teeth extending but a very little more than half-way 

 round the mouth, and in the teeth being deficient on the eye 

 side. 



The Smooth Dab is not by any means a common fish 

 in the Firth of Forth ; it makes its appearance mostly in 

 the spring months, and is taken on the sandy banks off Fife- 

 shire, as well as on the opposite coast, with lines baited with 

 soft mollusca. Two or three seasons sometimes pass when not 

 half a dozen of these fish are seen in the Edinburgh market. 

 In the year 1835 they were unusually plentiful, particu- 

 larly in the month of February ; but after March they are 

 scarcely ever met with. They shed their spawn some time 

 during April, after which they retire to rocky ground, where 

 they generally remain until the commencement of the fol- 



