[63] 



FLOUNDERS AND SOLES. 287 



ANALYSIS OF SPECIES OF LIMAXDA. 



a. Head comparatively large, 3^ to 4| in length. 



o. Scales rather small, 90 to 100 in the course of the lateral line ; scales of right 

 side ctenoid,closely imbricated; those of blind side mostly smooth. 



c. Teeth conical, close-set, forming a continuous series, about 11 -f- 30 in the lower 

 jaw; snout abruptly projecting, forming in front of upper eye a sharp angle 

 with the descending profile ; head rather long; eyes large, separated by a high 

 and very narrow ridge, which is continued in long rugose prominences above 

 the opercle. Head 4; depth 21-; D. 85; A. 62; lat. 1. 100; color brownish olive, 

 with numerous irregular reddish spots ; fins similarly marked ; blind side largely 

 lemon-yellow Ferrugixea, 75. 



e. Teeth less conical, less closely set, in an irregular series, about 10 + 20 in lower 

 jaw; snout less prominent, forming a slight angle with the profile ; head rather 

 smaller; eyes separated by a moderate ridge, broader and lower than in L. 

 ferruginea; no rugose prominences above opercle. Head 4| ; depth 2^ ; D. 65 to 

 78; A. 50 to 62; scales 86 to 96 ; vertebra 40; color brownish, with some cloudy 



markings or dusky spots Limaxda, 76. 



66. Scales larger, wide apart, about 80 in the course of the lateral line, each 

 scale with 1 to 4 spinules, those mostly erect ; scales of blind side more or less 

 rough; lower pharyngeals narrow, with blimtish teeth ; interorbital space 

 narrow, scaly ; head large ; snout not forming a distinct angle with the profile ; 

 teeth small, subcorneal. Head, 3^ ; depth 2 ; D. 69 to 74 ; A. 5 3 or 54 ; lat. 1. 

 about 80. Color brown, nearly plain, the blind side with tinges of yellow. 



Aspera, 77. 

 aa. [Head very short, 5£ in length : snout very short ; interorbital space very narrow ; 

 teeth small, apparently biserial, chiefly on the blind side; curve of lateral 

 line half as deep as long, as long as head ; scales strongly ctenoid, those on 

 blind side smaller and cycloid. Head, 5-J ; depth, 2f ; D. 64 ; A. 613 ; lat. 1. 88 

 =(27+61). Color grayish, mottled with darker, a conspicuous black blotch on 

 outer rays of caudal on each side. ] ( Goode) Beaxi, 78. 



75. LIMANDA FERRUGINEA. 



(The Rusty Dab.) 

 [Plate XII.] 



Platesea ferruginea D. H. Storer, Fish. Mass., 1839, 141, pi. 2 (Cape Ann). DeKay, New 



York Fauna, Fishes, 1842, 297, pi. 48, f. 155 (New York). Storer, Syn. Fish, 



N. A., 1846, 476. 

 Plev/ronectes ferrugineus Gunther, iv,447, 1862 (Boston). Jordan & Gilbert, Syn. Fish. 



X. A., 1882, 834. 

 Myzopsetta ferruginea Gill, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1864, 217. 

 Limanda ferruginea Goode, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., 1880, 472 (New England). Goode, 



Hist. Aquat. Anim., 1884, pi. 49. 

 Platessa rostrata H. R. Storer, Bost. Journal Nat. Hist., vi, 268, 1850 (Labrador). 

 Limanda rostrata Gill, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1864, 217. 



Habitat. — Atlantic coast of North America, Labrador to Xew York. 



This species is rather common northward on onr Atlantic coast. Ir 

 is allied to the European Dab, but has smaller scales and a more promi- 

 nent snout. Our specimens are from the east coast of Massachusetts. 



