462 PISCES (OSSEI) MALACOPT. [PLEURONECTES. 



149. P. Rhombus, Linn. (Brill.) Body broadly 

 oval ; smooth, without tubercles : first rays of the dorsal 

 half free, and branched at their extremities. 



P. Rhombus, Linn. Syst. Nat. torn. i. p. 458. Block, Ichth. pi. 43. 

 Don. Brit. Fish. vol. iv. pi. 95. Sow. Brit. Misc. pi. 50. Turt. 

 Brit. Faun. p. 97. Flem. Brit. An. p. 196. Rhombus non 

 aculeatus squamosus, Will. Hist. Pise. p. 95. tab. F. 1. Pearl, 

 Penn. Brit. Zool. vol. HI. p. 238. Id. (Edit. 1812.) vol. in. p. 321. 

 pi. 50. La Barbue, Cuv. Reg. An. torn. 11. p. 341. 



LENGTH. From twelve to eighteen inches; sometimes more. 



DESCRIPT. (Form.) Very similar to the Turbot, but of a more oval 

 form: breadth not so great, contained about once and a half in the 

 entire length: upper surface perfectly smooth, without any osseous 

 tubercles : lateral line arched above the pectorals, but the curvature not 

 so great as in that species : the first four or five rays of the dorsal fin 

 half free, and divided at their extremities : in most other respects the 

 two species are similar : 



D. 71; A. 57; C. 16; P. 12; V. 6.* 



(Colours.) Rather darker than the Turbot : upper surface deep brown, 

 with numerous dusky and white spots; sometimes intermixed with 

 yellowish : beneath white : fins spotted. 



Met with in the same localities as the last species, and more abund- 

 antly. Does not attain to so great a size. Flesh less esteemed. Is 

 sometimes called a Pearl. 



150. P. punctatus, Bloch. (Block's Top-Knot.) 

 Roundish oval : both sides of the body rough ; the edges 

 of the scales denticulated: the first ray of the dorsal fin 

 elongated : ventrals and anal separate. 



P. punctatus, Bloch, Ichth. pi. 189. Flem. in Wern. Mem. vol. 11. 

 p. 241. Id. Phil. Zool. pi. HI. f. 2. Id. Brit. An. p. 197. 



LENGTH. Five inches and a half. 



DESCRIPT. (Form.) Roundish oval, the dorsal and ventral lines 

 equally convex : greatest breadth, fins excluded, just half the length : 

 head a little less than one-third of the same : profile notched immediately 

 before the eyes : mouth of moderate size, very protractile ; jaws nearly 

 equal ; the lower one a very little the longest, and ascending obliquely 

 at an angle of rather more than forty-five degrees: teeth so fine as to 

 be scarcely visible: eyes large, remarkably full and prominent, their 

 diameter about one-fourth the length of the head; placed on the left 

 side; approximating; the lower one rather more advanced than the 

 upper; between them a projecting ridge: basal and posterior margins 

 of the preopercle meeting at a very obtuse angle, the former rising 

 obliquely to meet the latter : lateral line commencing at the upper part 

 of the opercle, at first very much arched, but afterwards straight : both 

 sides of the body, but more especially the upper, extremely rough ; 

 scales minute ; those on the upper side having their free margins set 

 with from four to six longish denticles; those beneath having the 



* The above fin-ray formula is from Bloch. 



