AUGUST, 1881. 41 



them superior in flesh, in appearance, and in flavour, to 

 those that look the reverse way ! One thing is notable ; 

 these left-looking members of the flat-fish community 

 have much larger mouths than the flounders proper, and 

 so in all probability have more ample opportunities for 

 filling their stomachs, and this must tell in the struggle 

 for existence. It is soon clear our capture is a top-knot, 

 of which only two species are figured as having the dorsal 

 and anal fins passing under the tail, and both are 

 comparatively rare. Indeed, they have been constantly 

 confused in the minds of naturalists ; and we believe they 

 have been still further rendered difficult to identify 

 through the occasional outcrop of a third species or 

 variety (of which our capture is a specimen). The fish 

 is but a small fellow at the best, not at any time much 

 over 6in.; consequently it is not a very important con- 

 tribution to the national cuisine ; but it is a very handsome 

 species of flat-fish, and consequently an elegant addition 

 to our fauna. 



We have had the dredge plying very frequently of late, 

 having therare fortune ofa companion equally enthusiastic 

 and willing to join in the labour, which to those so inter- 

 ested is a pleasure and no toil. Many a boatload of 

 rubbish have we lifted from depths where it might 

 naturally have expected to sink into oblivion and clay, 

 and much careful sifting have we gone through for very 

 little. What a strange idea one gets of the isolated locales 

 of certain species that do not seem to cross over into the 

 ground wholly devoted to other varieties. One time the 

 dredge comes to the surface full of moving life that makes 

 our lady companion shudder with instinctive repugnance. 

 Now, hand over that dish full of sea- water, and look at 

 our captures more carefully. We pick out of the living 



