44 FLAT-FISHES. 



Jordan and Charles H. Gilbert, Washington, 1882;" and "Fishes 

 of Northern and Middle America, by David S. Jordan and 

 Barton Warren Evermann, Part III, Washington, 1898," 

 the dorsal rays of this species are given as 65, and the 

 anal, 48. In the latter publication, the authors state that : "The 

 specimens examined by us are from Labrador, Cape Breton, 

 Anticosti, Grand Manan, Boston, Princetown, Woods Hole, New- 

 Bedford, and Somer's Point, New Jersey." This is an extensive 

 range, and, though more uniformly arctic, includes ours, yet 

 the determinations are conflicting. A careful examination of 

 the rigures in the table shows how all the specimens oscillate 

 between dorsal 60 — 62, and anal 45 — 46. Not one presents the 

 authors' count,nor has the writer met an instance of it among 

 the numerous examinations he has made. It is well known that 

 in such points of structure there is always a considerable limit 

 of variation, but no naturalist would give the maximum or 

 minimum as specific; hence we infer that the authors referred to 

 must have met with individuals whose dorsal and anal rays ex- 

 ceeded 65 and 48. To the mind of one more or less familiar with 

 the degree of specific variation at a certain place, such individ- 

 uals would appear as anomalies among those in the table; even 

 the average laid down by these w'riters would be more likely at- 

 tributed to individualism, than to specific variation. 



The next species to be considered is the Rusty Dab, limanda 

 ferruginea Storer, taken from the Miramichi Bay. 



The average of these four, which represents that of all the 

 writer has examined is: — Dorsal 77i; Anal 58. The authorities 

 cited assign to this species an average of 85 dorsal and 62 anal, 

 and add that ail their specimens came from the coast of Massachu- 

 setts. The reduction is certainly quite marked. Any ichthyolo- 

 gist, describing the type as represented in our waters, would as- 

 sign as specific the average given above; and the higher one, 



