326 EEPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. [102] 



This species is very common oil the sandy shores of our South Atlantic 

 and Gulf States. Our numerous specimens are from Beaufort, Charles- 

 ton, Pensacola, and Key West. 



• The reasons for continuing to regard this species as the original 

 Pleuronectes plagiusa of Linnaeus, are given under the head of Symphurus 

 plagusia. 



If however, the name plagiusa be referred to the West Indian form 

 or dropped as unidentifiable, the name fasciatus would then hold for 

 this species. 



The characters distinguishing elongatus, atrioauda, plagusia, plagiusa, 

 pusillus, and diomedeanus are of slight value, and doubtless all will 

 ultimately prove to be varieties of a single one, the coloration of the fins 

 being more marked in southern specimens. 



A specimen nearly six inches long collected at Beaufort, N. C, by 

 Prof. O. P. Jenkins seems referable to pusillus rather than to the typi- 

 cal plagiusa. It is highly mottled in coloration, the body and fins being 

 profusely speckled and blotched with' blackish besides 9 or 10 rather 

 distinct cross-bands. D. 85, A. 72. Scales about 80. Depth 3J in 

 length. 



Another large specimen 7 inches long from the Florida Keys is in the 

 museum at Cambridge. This has : D. 82, A. 72, lat. 1. 70. Depth 3 in 

 length. Color brown almost plain, except that the fins are mottled, 

 especially posteriorly; candal fin not black. 



If these two specimens are really typical of Symplmrus pusillus, it 

 probably cannot be separated as a species from 8. plagiusa. 



The form called diomedeanus is known to us from the description 

 only. It is certainly very similar to S. plagiusa. Perhaps it is identical 

 with our Key West specimens of the latter. These are very pale, and 

 nearly plain gray, as would be expected in fishes taken from the coral 

 sands. 



133. SYMPHURUS PIGER. 



Jplwristia pigra Goode & Bean, Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool., xiii, 5, 1886, 154 (St. Kitts, 

 Key West, Cedar Keys, in about 250 fathoms). 



Habitat. — West Indies and Gulf of Mexico, in deep water. 

 This species is known to us from the original description. It is evi- 

 dently a better defined species than are most of the others. 



134. SYMPHURUS NEBULOSUS. 



Aplioristianebulosa Goode & Bean, Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool., xix, 1883, 192 (Gulf Stream, 



off the coast of Carolina). 

 Acedia nebulosa Jordan, MSS. 



Habitat. — Gulf Stream. 



This species is known from the original account only. The descrip- 

 tion would indicate a species considerably unlike those forming the rest 



