172 FLAT, OR THAWL-FISHES PLEURONECTID^, 



contrivance, with which the hippocampus moors itself 

 to any floating object. 



" Whilst swimming, the body is maintained in a 

 vertical position, and the grotesque-looking creatures 

 seem to be walking upon their tails rather than rowing 

 themselves through the water. The prehensile tail 

 twists and turns about, ready at the shortest notice to 

 coil round the driftmg sea plants or a piece of floating 

 wood ; and thus, as it were, lashing itself to a spar, the 

 sea-horse floats idly along as the breeze or the current 

 directs its course. 



" The hippocampus possesses the power of moving 

 either of its yellow-coloured eyes independently of the 

 other. When watching their comic faces as they drift 

 about, one can hardly help thinking that they are 

 ^ making eyes ' at you, so strangely do they roll and 

 twist them about in opposite directions. The male, as 

 in all the marsupial pipe-fishes, is provided with an egg 

 pouch, which is situated underneath the tail, and- 

 formed by a doubling in of the thick skin." 



PLEURONECTID>E. 



Pleukonectid^, of course, signifies side swimmers ; in 

 common parlance. Flat-fish ; in my language, as In- 

 spector of Fisheries, Trawl-fish. There are so many of 

 these fishes that I can only mention some of them. 



The following is the catalogue of the Flat-fishes found 

 along the British coasts. 



Brill [Pleuronectes rliomhus). 



Dab, common {Pleuronectes limanda, Platessa limanda). 



Dab, long rough [Platessa Umandoides) . 



Dab, smooth [Platessa niicrocejjJialiis) . 



Flounder, common (Platessa Jiesiis) . 



