230 AN EAST COAST NATURALIST 



curious appearance. I obtained one almost as large 

 in July 1901. 



Several Plaice averaging 20 inches in length, 

 taken in November 1897, and probably all captured 

 in the same locality, were distinguished by large 

 irregular white patches on the upper surface, the 

 red spots being wanting wherever the normal colour 

 was absent. 



A Smeared Dab, 10 inches long, which I saw on 

 20th October 1902, whilst being of the normal 

 colour, had the whole of the fins encircling it 

 entirely white. A singularly pretty Plaice was 

 brought in in February 1902. The fore half of 

 the upper surface was of the usual colour, and 

 spotted red. The posterior portion was white, with 

 here and there the slightest tinge of brown in 

 spots ; singularly enough, wherever a dash of brown 

 appeared a red spot centred it. The fins were 

 reddish in hue, and the tail decidedly yellow, with 

 red lines marking the rays. 



The most beautifully coloured flat fish I have yet 

 met with was obtained on 13th October 1902. 

 It was a 10 -inch Smeared Dab (Pleuronectes 

 microcephalies). The posterior half was of the 

 normal grey-brown colour, but the ground colour 



