FISHES OF NEW YORK 731 



Ctenoid, of blind side smooth; lateral line sharply arched over 

 two thirds of pectoral. D. 85; A. 64; V. 6 (5 on blind side). 



Color light gray with reddish tinge; spots and blotches of 

 darker on head and body; also lighter rings inclosing spaces 

 of ground color; dorsal and anal with a black spot on each 

 sixth or eighth ray. 



The sand flounder, or spotted flounder, is a native of the 

 western Atlantic, from New York southward to the Gulf of 

 Mexico and the West Indies, and perhaps to Rio Janeiro on 

 sandy shores. It is a small species, the largest individual 

 taken being only 3 inches in length. Two small examples of 

 this little flounder were collected at Fire Island inlet beach 

 Sep. 30, 1890. These specimens were obtained on a sand beacb 

 in shallow water. The discovery of this fish in Great South 

 bay was entirely unexpected, as this is many degrees north of 



its original habitat. 



Family SOLEIDAE 



Soles 

 Genus ACHIRUS Lacpede 



Eyes and color on the right side; body oblong, bluntly rounded 

 anteriorly; head small; eyes small, close together, the upper 

 eye in advance of the lower, the two separated by a bony ridge; 

 mouth small, somewhat turned toward the colored side; nasal 

 flaps present, the nostril of the blind side fringed; lip of the 

 colored side fringed; teeth very small, on blind side only; gill 

 openings rather narrow, but confluent below, not reduced* to a 

 slit; the branchiostegal region scaled; head closely scaled every- 

 where, the scales on the colored side similar to those on the 

 body, those of the nape and chin much enlarged; scales on the 

 blind side anteriorly with their pectinations more or less pro- 

 duced, forming cirri, scales of both sides extremely rough, 

 extending on the fins; lateral line straight, simple; edge of pre- 

 opercle covered by the scales; dorsal beginning on the snout, 

 low in front and thickly scaled, its rays divided; anal fin simi- 

 lar, without spine; caudal fin free, convex; caudal peduncle very 



