HISTORY OF THE FISHES OF MASSACHUSETTS. 201 



Eyes on the heft Side. 



Platessa oblonga, Dekay. 



The American Turbot. 

 (Plate XXXI. Fig. 2.) 



Pleuronectes oblongus, Spotted Flounder, Mitchill, Trans. Lit. and Phil. Soc. of N. Y., I. p. 391. 

 Rhombus aquosus, Watery Flounder, Storek, Bost. Journ. Nat. Hist., I. p. 351. 



" " " " Report, p. 146. 



Platessa oblonga, Oblong Flounder, Dekay, Report, p. 299, pi. 48, fig. 156. 

 Platessa ocellaris, Long-toothed Flounder, Dekat, Report, p. 300, pi. 47, fig. 152. 

 Platessa oblonga, Storer, Mem. Anier. Acad , New Series, p. 477. 

 " '.' . " Synopsis, p. 225. 



Color. Of a reddish-gray color, with more or less numerous circular, oval, or 

 oblong blotches of a darker color, surrounded with a lighter margin, and also nu- 

 merous white spots, which are distributed more especially at the bases of, and 

 upon, the fins. The dorsal fin is of a lighter color than the body of the fish ; 

 its lower portion is reddish ; the upper part of a leaden color ; and frequently the 

 entire fin is sprinkled with minute white spots ; the extremities of the rays are 

 tipped with white. The pectorals are transversely barred with black and white 

 bands, and have a white blotch at their inferior base. The ventrals are light, with 

 darker spots. The anal is similar in its color to the dorsal. The orbits, space in 

 front of the eyes, and the jaws, are spotted with dull blue. Pupils black, irides 

 golden. Right side of fish colorless. 



Description. Body elongated, with very small, perfectly smooth scales. The depth 

 of the body across the middle, exclusive of the fins, less than one third the length 

 of the fish. The length of the head is rather less than one fourth the entire length 

 of the fish. The top of the head in front of the eyes, the lower jaw, and the 

 intermaxillaries, are perfectly smooth. The eyes are oblong, moderate in size: the 

 upper eye is slightly back of the inferior, in a vertical line ; distance between the 

 eyes equal to the longest diameter of the eye. The mouth is situated obliquely; 

 its gape is very large ; when closed, the upper jaw projects very slightly in front 

 of the lower ; the jaws are armed with a single row of separated, quite large, sharp 

 teeth, the front ones much the largest. A protuberance at the chin. The nostrils 

 are double ; the anterior has at its posterior edge a tubular membrane. 



The lateral line, commencing in front of the posterior angle of the operculum, 

 makes a high arch over the pectorals, and terminates in a straight line which 

 begins at the posterior extremity of these fins ; the top of this arch is a distance 

 nearly equal to one third the length of the head above this straight line. 



