of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 69 
The last example had earstones so small as to be greatly out of propor- 
tion to the length of the fish when compared with the others in the series. 
I mention the fact in order that further attention may be drawn to it. 
Fam. OpHIDIIDs. 
Genus Ammodytes. 
Ammodytes tobianus, Linn. The Lesser Sand-eel. Pl. i. B., figs. 64 
and 65. 
The earstones of the sand-eels are very small, and their genoral outline 
is oval, but somewhat narrow and pointed at the posterior end. The 
earstones represented by fig. 64 were obtained from a fish 7 inches long, 
and they measured 35mm. by about 1‘6mm., while those represented by 
fig. 65 are only about 2°5mm. by 1:0mm., and were obtained from a fish 
125mm. (5 inches) in length. 
Fam. PLEURONECTID. 
Genus Hippoglossus. 
Hippoglossus vulgaris, Flem. The Halibut. PI. ili. a., figs. 1-6 and 14. 
The earstones represented by fig. 1 are those of a halibut that weighed 
179 lbs. (or within 2 lbs. of 13 stone). The fish was captured in 1884, 
when I obtained the head of it for examination ; the length of the fish 
was not recorded. The otoliths measure from 17mm. to 18mm. in length by 
about 11mm. in width, but the two differ slightly in size. Those repre- 
sented by fig. 14 were removed froma small halibut about 183; inches 
long, and these otoliths measure about 85mm. in length by about 5mm. 
in depth. In this example the length of the earstones is only equal to 
about one fifty-fourth part of the entire length of the fish. The earstones 
represented by figs. 3 and 4 are from two fishes that are each about 11? 
inches in length, and they measure 6mm. by about 3°5mm., while those 
represented by figs. 4 and 5 are from fishes measuring respectively 260mm. 
and 220mm. in length. 
In this species, as in most of the Pleuronectide, the earstones are flat 
and moderately thin. Those of the Jarge halibut mentioned above havea 
somewhat irregular outline; on one side the margin is nearly straight, 
while the margin opposite is somewhat convex, and exhibits in one of the 
otoliths a distinctly crenulated edge. One end is obliquely truncate, but 
in the case of one of the stones the other end has a wide shallow notch, 
while the other otolith is furnished with a hook-like process. The ear- 
stones of the smaller fishes are ovate, and have a rather more regular 
outline ; the posterior end is somewhat truncated, but the anterior end is 
narrow and rounded. 
Genus Drepanopsetta. 
Drepanopsetta platessoides (Fabr.). Long Rough Dab. Pi. ili. a., 
figs. 7-13. 
In this species the earstones of the larger fishes are broadly ovate, the 
length being only about one-third more than the greatest width. The 
upper margin is distinctly arched, but the lower is only slightly and irre- 
