GREA T BRITAIN. 201 



the Moray Firth, while it is abundant at St. Andrews. 

 Neill records it at Aberlady Bay, Parnell in the Firth of 

 Forth, while off Yorkshire it is resident and not uncom- 

 mon ; it is found generally along the east coast, becoming, 

 however, abundant along the south coast. 



In Ireland it is common round the coast, being taken 

 with, but much more abundantly on sandbanks than the 

 turbot, on the north-east coast in the proportion of at least 

 four to one. 



As to the size it attains on our shores, Yarrell states that 

 it rarely exceeds 8 Ibs. in weight, Parnell 10 Ibs., while 

 Thompson's finest example was 2 feet in length. 



GENUS 4. Zeugopterus, Gottsche. 

 Muller's and Bloch's Topknot {Zeugopterus punctatus). 



Names. Browny in Cornwall ; little black hairy JZuke, 

 Edinburgh market. 



B. vii., D. 87-101, V. 6, A. 69-80, Vert, if, Caec. pyl. o. 



Length of head 3^- to 3f- ; height of body about 2 to 2\ 

 in the total length. Eyes. On the left side, upper margin 

 covered by a thick skin, the lower slightly in advance of the 

 upper, i diameter from the end of the snout, and one-fourth 

 to one-fifth of the length of the head. Cleft of mouth 

 very oblique, the lower jaw rather projecting anteriorly. 

 Teeth. In a villiform band in the jaws, present also on 

 the vomer. Fins. Dorsal commences on the snout, its 

 anterior rays not so long as the diameter of the eye ; they 

 gradually increase in length, becoming longest in the 

 commencement of the last third of the body, where they 

 equal half the length of the head ; the posterior ones short, 

 and the fin passing beneath the base of the caudal becomes 

 almost conjoined with the anal, which is similarly turned 



