GENERA AND SPECIES. 123 



Phycis. Plate xvii. GADIDJE. 



134. blennoides, GREATER FORKBEARD. Ventrals represented by a 

 long, forked filament. 



The first dorsal has 9 or 10 rays, the second from 54 to 62, the anal 

 has from 54 to 58, the caudal 22, the pectorals 15, and the ventrals 

 only the filament just mentioned. The first dorsal is triangular, and 

 nearly joins the long, level second, which does not quite join the 

 caudal. The lateral line has ji2 scales. The colour is brownish 

 grey, paler on the sides, and whitish along the abdomen ; the length 

 does not exceed 2 feet. It is a ground feeder, living among rocks 

 in deep water. 



Pleuronectes. Plates xx. and xxi. PLEURONECTID&. 



157. platessa, PLAICE. With orange spots ; tubercles on head. 



158. mtcrccephalus, LEMON SOLE. With dark spots ; head small ; 



skin slimy. 



159. cynoglossus, WITCH. Unspotted ; lateral line straight. 



160. limanda, DAB. Lateral line curved over pectorals ; no 



tubercles along bases of fins or along lateral line. 



161. flesus, FLOUNDER. Tubercles along bases of fins and at 



beginning of lateral line. 



The Plaice has from 66 to 77 rays in the dorsal, 50 to 57 in the 

 anal, 17 or 18 in the caudal, 10 or n in the pectorals, and 6 in the 

 ventrals. There is a short spine in front of the anal. The eyes are 

 on the right side ; the mouth is at the end of trTe snout ; the teeth 

 are larger on the blind side; the scales are small, cycloid, and 

 imbedded. There are bony tubercles on the head behind the eyes. 

 The curve in the lateral line is very slight. The lower jaw is the 

 longer ; the front teeth are broad and flat, and end in straight edges, 

 those in the throat are rounded. The colour is brown, the orange 

 spots being numerous and distinct. In shape this fish is oval, and 

 in length it occasionally reaches 36 inches. It feeds mainly on 

 molluscs, preferring those with two shells, but it also eats worms 

 and crustaceans, though not many. It lives on sandy, muddy ground, 

 in which it can hide. 



The Lemon Sole is perhaps more definitely known as the Smear 

 Dab, " Lemon Sole " being a market term applied to several fishes. 

 It has from 85 to 93 rays in its dorsal, 70 to 76 in its anal, 15 in its 

 caudal, 10 in its pectorals, and 5 or 6 in its ventrals. The anal has 

 no spine in front. The eyes are on the right side, the mouth is at 

 the end of the snout, the teeth are larger on the blind side, and are 

 conical and blunt. The mouth and head are small. The lateral line 

 is very slightly curved over the pectorals, and has 130 scales. The 

 shape is a long regular oval ; the colour a yellowish brown, marbled 

 with round and oval blotches. In length this fish reaches 17 inches. 

 Its names are many ; it is not only the Smear Dab, but the Merry 

 Sole, the Lemon Dab, the Smooth Dab, and the Sand Fleuk, and 

 from Yarmouth, Lowestoft and Grimsby is the chief species invoiced 

 as Lemon Sole. 



