GENERA AND SPECIES. IO5 



is armed with a series ot osseous rings, of which there are about a 

 dozen between the head and the vent, and about three dozen from 

 that point to the tip of the tail. The head and body are covered 

 with tubercles, and the head is flattened and rises into a crest above 

 the long gill covers. The colour is brown of a greenish hue with 

 whitish dots, and frequently the tail is whitish. In size the Seahorse 

 measures about 6 inches along the curve. It is a quaint, intelligent 

 fish, which swims upright. The female transfers the ova to the 

 male, who hatches them in its breeding pouch, and looks after them 

 during their infancy. Seahorses call each other with a sort of 

 cough. 



Hippoglossoides. Plate xix. PLEURONECTID& 



150. limandoidcs, LONG ROUGH DAB. Scales ctenoid and spiny on the 

 hinder edge ; mouth large. 



The Long Rough Dab has from 76 to 87 rays in its dorsal fin, 60 

 to 69 in its anal, 14 to 16 in its caudal, 10 in its pectorals, and 6 in 

 its ventrals. The dorsal rises for two-thirds of its length, and then 

 takes a straight slope towards the caudal, and the anal rises for half 

 its length, and slopes at a similar angle. The lateral line has from 

 85 to 95 scales, and is nearly straight. The eyes are on the right 

 side, the mouth extends to the middle of the eye, the jaws being 

 alike on both sides. The colour is brownish grey on the upper side, 

 generally without spots, and it is white on the under side. This 

 flat-fish is about 15 inches long, and lives in the northern seas in 

 rather deep water, feeding on crustaceans and molluscs. 



Hippoglossus. Plate xix. PLEURONECTIDJE. 



149. vulgaris, HALIBUT. Scales cycloid and not spiny ; lateral line 

 curved. 



This is the longest, narrowest, and thickest of our flat fish. Its 

 dorsal rays number from 99 to 107 ; in its anal it has from 73 to 82, 

 in its caudal from 15 to 18; its pectorals have from 14 to 18, and its 

 ventrals 6. The dorsal and anal are low at their beginning, and 

 reach their highest point at about half-way. The lateral line curves 

 boldly above the pectorals, whereas in the last species it has little 

 more than a shiver. The scales are smooth. The eyes are on the 

 right side, the jaws alike on both sides ; there is a double row of 

 teeth in the upper jaw ; the mouth reaches the back of the eye. In 

 colour the upper side is marbled olive, the under is white. The 

 ordinary size is from 3 to 7 feet, but it has reached 20 feet. The 

 Halibut is not often found in the Channel, and it is confined to deep 

 v/ater, the larger specimens being taken on rocky ground. 



Labrax. Plate i. PERCW1E. 



2. lupus, . BASS. Spines in dorsals, anal, and ventrals ; gill cover 

 serrated ; colours slaty blue and silver. 



The Bass is like a slender Perch. Its first dorsal consists of 8 or 

 9 prickly spines; in its second dorsal are a spine and 12 or 13 rays, 

 in its anal are 3 spines and 10 or n rays, in its caudal are 17 rays, 



H 



