204 HISTORY OF THE FISHES OF MASSACHUSETTS. 



length of the head. The upper jaw projects beyond the lower when the jaws are 

 closed. The upper jaw has four or five prominent teeth in its front, and numerous 

 card-like teeth towards its angles ; in the lower jaw there are from seven to ten 

 teeth on each side. The chin is prominent. The posterior nostril is the larger. 



The lateral line curves over the pectorals to their posterior extremity, then pur- 

 sues a strait course to the tail, and is lost on the central caudal ray. 



The dorsal fin commences over the anterior superior angle of the eye, and its 

 rays gradually become higher, until, having reached their highest point just back 

 of the centre of the fin, they gradually diminish in height, and terminate rather 

 abruptly at the fleshy portion of the caudal fin. 



The moderate-sized pectorals are situated just beneath the posterior angle of the 

 operculum. 



The ventrals are small, broad, and stout. 



The anal fin commences just back of the base of the pectorals, and terminates 

 on a line with the termination of the dorsal fin. 



The caudal fin is large and angulated, with stout rays. 



The fin rays are as follows:— D. 86. P. 10. V. 6. A. 76. C. 17. 



Length, twelve to sixteen inches. 



Remarks. Captain Atwood informed me that he never noticed this species pre- 

 vious to the year 1846. During a visit to Long Point, Provincetown, in the 

 latter part of June, 1847, I observed numerous specimens there. I have seen a 

 single specimen having both sides dark-colored, — and both bearing the peculiarly 

 marked ocelli, — with the exception of the head, which was, as usual, colorless beneath. 



Massachusetts, Storer. 



GENUS III. PLEURONECTES, Dekay. (RHOMBUS or Cdvier.) 



Eyes and colored surface on the left. Teeth in the jaws and pharynx. Dorsal 

 fin commences anterior to the eye. 



Pleuronectes maculatus, Mitchill. 

 (Plate XXXI. Fig. 4.) 



Pleuronectes maculatus, New York Plaice, Mitch., Report in part, p. 9. 



Pleuronectes aquosus, Plaice of New York, Mitch., Trans. Lit. and Phil. Soc. of New York, i. p. 389, pi. 2, fig. 3. 



Rhombus aquosus, Cuvier, Regne Animal. 



Pleuronectes maculatus, Sjiolttd Turlot, Dekat, Report, p. 301, pi. 47, fig. 151. 



" " Storer, Mem. Amer. Acad., New Series, n. p. 479. 



" " " Synopsis, p. 227. 



Color. The living fish is of a greenish-brown color above, with small darker 



