458 PISCES (OSSEI) MALACOPT. [PLATESSA. 



together, their summits nearly even, and rather obtuse : eyes moderately 

 large, approximating, situate close behind the mouth, and both equally 

 advanced towards it; between them an osseous ridge, which, however, 

 is not produced behind as in the last species : lateral line commencing 

 higher up than the gill-opening, curved above the pectoral, but after- 

 wards straight ; the degree of curvature less than in the Dab, but greater 

 than in the Plaice : both sides of the body smooth : scales small, their 

 free edges scarcely ciliated: dorsal commencing above the eyes, and 

 extending the whole length of the back, and very nearly to the caudal ; 

 greatest elevation one-fourth of the breadth of the body: anal com- 

 mencing in a line with the pectorals, and answering to the dorsal ; the 

 spine before it scarcely perceptible : caudal much as in the Plaice : the 

 two pectorals of equal size, and more than half the length of the head : 

 ventrals very small, a little in advance of the pectorals, and about three- 

 quarters of their length; second ray longest : number of fin-rays, 



D. 92; A. 69; C. 19 ; P. 9 ; V. 5. 



(Colours.) Above light brown, sometimes mottled with yellow and 

 dusky : beneath white. Pennant says, " belly white, marked with five 

 large dusky spots ; " but, according to the editor of the last edition of the 

 " British Zoology," this spotting is not a constant character. 



Met with occasionally on the southern and western coasts, but much 

 less plentiful than any of the preceding species. The specimen from 

 which the above description was taken, was obtained at Hastings. Said 

 to be frequent on the coast of Cornwall. According to Hanmer *, it is 

 known at Bath by the name of the Lemon Sole ; at Plymouth, by that of 

 the Merry Sole ; at Looe, by that of the Kitt ; and at Penzance, by that 

 of the Queen, or Queen-Fish. Obs. This species is probably the Pleu- 

 ronectes microstomus of Faber and Nilsson, but this last author has 

 noticed another, the P. Cynoglossus of Linnseus, which also approaches 

 very nearly to it. Possibly both these species may occur in our own seas. 

 Donovan appears to have considered it as the Vraie Limandelle of Duha- 

 mel, but, according to Cuvier, this last is synonymous with the Platessa 

 Pola next described. I may add that I can see no difference between 

 the present species and the supposed New Species of Sole lately charac- 

 terized by Mr. Parnell t, of which I have seen a specimen in the posses- 

 sion of Mr. Yarrell. 



145. P. Po/0, Cuv. (Pole.) Oblong-oval : lower eye 

 more advanced than the upper one: lateral line straight 

 throughout its course : body everywhere smooth : lower 

 jaw longest: teeth cutting. 



P. Pola, Cuv. Reg. An. torn. u. p. 339. New species of Platessa, 

 Edinb. New Phil. Journ. no. 37. July, 1835. p. 210. 



LENGTH. Seventeen to nineteen inches. 



DESCRIPT. (Form.) Oblong-oval, approaching the form of the Sole : 

 greatest breadth, dorsal and anal fins excluded, rather exceeding one- 

 third of the entire length ; body narrowing both ways from that point, 

 but more towards the tail than the head : length of the head half the 



* See Hanmer's observations on the genus Pleuronectes, in the Appendix (No. 5.) to the third 

 volume of the last edition of Pennant's " British Zoology." 

 t Edinb. Neiv Phil. Jmtrn. 1. c. 



