HISTORY OF THE FISHES OF MASSACHUSETTS. 203 



the head ; back of this eye was a deep notch, upon the upper edge of which, at its 

 anterior angle, commenced the dorsal fin, as shown in the figure. (Fig. 2. b.) 



This species is quite common during the summer and early part of autumn at 

 Provincetown, and as far up the Cape as Wellfleet. It is taken along shore in very 

 shallow water, and frequently weighs from fifteen to twenty pounds. At Province- 

 town it is known as the Plaice, in Boston market it is called the Turbot. It is 

 an excellent fish, and is considered by judges to be fully equal to the Rhombus 

 maximus, English turbot. For quite a number of years a few specimens had occa- 

 sionally been yearly brought to our market, when Captain Atwood, about the year 

 1841, conceived the project of bringing them alive, by the cargo, in the well of his 

 smack. For three years he succeeded quite well in disposing of several loads in 

 this manner, — some being bought, by those who knew their value, as turbot, 

 and others as young halibut. When, however, in the year 1844, the fishermen 

 commenced packing in ice halibut taken upon George's Banks, and were thus 

 enabled to keep the market supplied with that species in a state of perfect preser- 

 vation, the species we are considering could not be sold. In the latter part of 

 1847, Captain Atwood brought to Boston a smack load of most excellent turbot, 

 alive, and sold but two hundred-weight, — the remainder died upon his hands, — 

 while species of infinitely inferior quality met with a ready sale in the market. 



Massachusetts, Storer. New York, Mitchill, Dekat. 



Platessa quadrocellata, Storer. 

 The Four-spotted Flounder. 

 (Plate XXXI. Fig. 3.) 

 Platessa quadrocellata, Storer, Proceed, of Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist., n. p. 242, 1847. 



Color. When just taken, the left side of this species is of a gray color, thickly 

 spotted with brown, so as to appear almost confluent, including all of the fins. 

 Upon the posterior half of the body, just beneath the dorsal fin, and directly oppo- 

 site this, above the anal fin, are situated two large, nearly black ocelli, surrounded 

 by a pinkish halo ; at the base of the caudal fin are two similar, smaller ocelli. 



Description. Body elongated. The greatest depth of the body, exclusive of the 

 dorsal and anal fins, is just back of the posterior extremities of the pectorals. The 

 length of the head is not quite equal to one fourth the length of the entire fish. 

 The eyes are prominent, oblong, situated over each other, separated by a promi- 

 nent, smooth, bony ridge; their longest diameter is about equal to one sixth the 



vol. vni. 34 



