28 1 6 THE BONY FISHES AND GANOIDS 



face marked with bright yellow spots. This species is exclusively marine, but the 

 flounder is almost as much a fresh- water as a sea fish, ascending rivers to a consid- 

 erable distance. Distinguished from the plaice by the dark mottlings on the 

 brownish or brownish yellow skin of the upper surface, it belongs to a group in 

 which the teeth are conical; the lateral line being very slightly curved in front, and 

 the scales minute. Its distribution is practically the same as that of the plaice, and 

 it is represented by an allied species in the Mediterranean. 



In the plaice and its allies the pectoral fins are always well devel- 

 oped, but in the group to which the common sole (Solea vulgaris) be- 

 longs these may be wanting, while the upper eye is always somewhat in advance of 

 the lower one, both being on the right side. As a genus the numerous species of 

 soles (somewhere about forty in number) are characterized by the median fins being 

 separate from one another, and the ctenoid scales; the dorsal fin commencing on the 

 muzzle, and the lateral line being straight. The cleft of the mouth is very narrow, 

 and twisted round to the left, or blind side; and it is on this side only that villiform 

 teeth are developed in the jaws, the palate being toothless. With the exception of 

 the lower south temperate zone, soles are distributed over all temperate and tropi- 

 cal coasts in localities suited to their habits; many of the species entering, or even 

 dwelling permanently in fresh waters. The common sole, which is found on the 

 coasts of the greater part of Europe, has both pectoral fins well developed, and the 

 nostrils of the blind side very narrow; the general color being dark brown, with 

 the tips of the pectoral fins blackish. Large specimens may weigh as much as five 

 or six pounds, and a fish of nine pounds in weight is on record. Soles are taken 

 by trawling; the best ground in England being along the south coast from Dover to 

 Devonshire. The lemon sole (S. aurantiaca) , which is a more southern form, rang- 

 ing from the south of England to Portugal, and living in deeper water, is one of a 

 group characterized by one of the notrils of the blind side being dilated and sur- 

 rounded with a fringe of papillae. It is smaller and wider than the common species, 

 and orange or light brown in color, dotted over with numerous small brown spots. 

 Other British species are the banded sole (S. variegata} and the dwarf sole (S. 

 minuta], both belonging to a group characterized by the small size of the pectoral 

 fins. The Mediterranean sole (S. monochir) is peculiar in lacking a pectoral fin on 

 the blind side; while the Japanese sole (S. japonica) is one of two species in which 

 both these fins are absent. The common species is shown in the left lower corner 

 of the colored plate. 



On account of the rudimentary condition of their eyes we must 

 not omit mention of the blind soles, which are divided into two 

 genera, the one (Soleotalpa} characterized by the separation of the median fins, 

 which are confluent in the other {Apionichthys); pectoral fins being wanting 

 in both. Each genus is represented only by a single species; Soleotalpa com- 

 ing from the West Indies, while the habitat of the other species appears to be 

 unknown. 



