GREAT BRITAIN. 181 



ferry, where the large sand-eel is never found. At Mussel- 

 burgh and Portobello the two species inhabit the same loca- 

 lity. Yorkshire, resident and abundant ; Norfolk estuary ; in 

 short, very common along the shores of Scotland and the 

 east, west, and south coasts of England. On the south coast 

 of Devon it is common, and used as food from May until 

 October ; abundant off some sandy bays in Cornwall, 

 especially St. Ives, Guernsey, Somersetshire. 



In Ireland common round the coast. 



It attains to at least 7 inches in length. 



B. Anacanthini Pleuronectoidei. 



e structure of the head apparently unsymmetrical on the 

 two sides. 



FAMILY III. THE FLAT FISHES (Pleuronectidce). 



The members composing this family are commonly 

 known as flatfishes, but it must be observed there are two 

 groups of " flat fishes," the one being, as it were, flattened 

 from above, as we see in rays and skates, wherein the upper 

 surface is the back. It is not so, however, among the Pleuro- 

 nectidae, or " side swimmers," which are compressed from 

 side to side, except the head, which appears distorted and 

 likewise flattened. When referring to the Pleuronectoids, 

 the terms right (dextral} or left (sinistral) are employed 

 with reference to the position of the upper or coloured side. 

 To ascertain this, the fish is placed with its tail towards 

 the observer, the dorsal or back fin above, and the anal 

 beneath. Reversed examples are such as have the eyes 

 situated on the side of the body, opposite to the one in 

 which they are generally seen. Double examples are those 

 in which both sides of the body are coloured. 



