460 PISCES (OSSEI) MALACOPT. [HIPPOGLOSSUS. 



scales large, with their free edges ciliated, communicating a marked 

 roughness to both sides of the body : dorsal commencing above the 

 upper eye, and extending nearly to the caudal ; highest part of the fin 

 a little beyond the middle : caudal rounded : anal and other fins, much 

 as in the P. Pola : number of fin-rays, 



D. 82; A. 64; C. 18 ; P. 10; V. 6. 



(Colour.) Of a uniform pale brown, or yellowish brown, above; white 

 beneath. 



This species, which, like the last, has been only recently added to our 

 Fauna, has been obtained from Berwick Bay by Dr. Johnston, and from 

 the Frith of Forth by Mr. Parnell. In the last-mentioned locality, parti- 

 cularly on the Fifeshire coast, it is represented as not very uncommon, 

 and as known to most of the fishermen by the name of Sandnecker, or 

 Long Fluke. It appears to be a northern species, inhabiting, according 

 to Bloch, sandy bottoms, and preying upon young crabs and small lob- 

 sters. Flesh stated by the same author to be white, and of good eating. 

 Obs. In its general form this species resembles the Holibut, with which, 

 perhaps, it ought properly to be associated. 



GEN. 55. HIPPOGLOSSUS, Cuv. 



147. H. vulgaris, Flem. (Holibut.) Eyes on the 

 right side : lateral line arched above the pectorals : body 

 oblong ; smooth. 



H. vulgaris, Flem. Brit. An. p. 199. Pleuronectes Hippoglossus, 

 Linn. Syst. Nat. torn. i. p. 456. Bloch, Ichth. pi. 47. Don. Brit. 

 Fish. vol. iv. pi. 75. Turt. Brit. Faun. p. 95. Nilss. Prod. 

 Ichth. Scand. p. 57. Hippoglossus, Will. Hist. Pise. p. 99. 

 tab. F. 6. Holibut, Penn. Brit. Zool. vol. in. p. 226. Id. (Edit. 

 1812.) vol. in. p. 302. Le grand Fletan ou Helbut, Cuv. Reg. An. 

 torn. ii. p. 340. 



LENGTH. From three to six feet, and upwards. 



DESCRIPT.* (Form.) Body oblong; of a more elongated form than 

 in the last sub-genus, tapering much towards the tail : greatest breadth, 

 dorsal and anal fins excluded, rather more than one-third of the entire 

 length : head small, a little more than one-sixth of the same : mouth 

 large; both jaws armed with several long, sharp, curved, distant, teeth: 

 eyes large, approximating, situate on the right, very rarely on the left, 

 side of the head : gill-cover of three pieces ; the gill -opening large, with 

 the membrane exposed : lateral line arched above the pectoral, but after- 

 wards running straight to the caudal fin: body smooth: both sides 

 covered with small, soft, oblong, scales, strongly adhering, and invested 

 with a slimy mucus : dorsal commencing above the eyes, and reaching 

 very nearly to the caudal: vent further removed from the head, than 

 in the other species belonging to this family : before the anal a long 

 spine: pectorals oblong: caudal crescent-shaped: 



B. 7; D. 107; A. 82; C. 16; P. 15; V. 7. 



(Colours.) "Dusky brown, most commonly inclining to a liver-colour, 

 and free from spots ; the tint variable, and said to be blackest, or more 

 dusky, in fish of poor condition : lower surface uniformly white." DON. 



* Not having any original description of this species, the above has been compiled from Bloch, 

 Gmelin, Donovan, and Nilsson. The fin-ray formula is from Bloch. 



