234 THE COMMERCIAL SEA FISHES OF 



sold as " thickbacks ; " they had been captured during at 

 least the three previous months. 



In Ireland one was dredged at Belfast, June i6th, 1838, 

 by Mr. Drummond, and in Ventry Harbour it is not un- 

 common. 



It attains to 9 inches in length according to Buckland. 



Solonette (Solea luted]. 



Names. Little sole ; red sole. 



B. viii., D. 65-72, V. 5, A. 50-56, L. 1, 72. 



Length of head 44- to 4f ; height of body 3^ in the total 

 length. Eyes. On the right side, rather close together, 

 the upper being one-third in advance of the lower. Cleft 

 of mouth extends to beneath the middle of the lower eye. 

 Teeth. Pointed and minute. Fins. Dorsal commences 

 on the snout before the upper eye and ceases close to the 

 base of the caudal fin, its rays are branched, and the 

 highest are opposite the middle of the length of the body. 

 Right pectoral very short, its upper ray twice as long as 

 the others, left pectoral still more minute. Caudal some- 

 what rounded at its extremity. Scales. Ctenoid, extended 

 on to the fin rays. Lateral-line. Nearly straight. Colours. 

 Right side of a stone gray covered with numerous small 

 brown or dark spots, also three or four rows of moderately 

 sized dark blotches placed very wide asunder, but some- 

 times entirely wanting. Dorsal and anal fins colourless, 

 but every here and there a ray (from the fourth to the 

 seventh) quite black, portions of others also dark, and some 

 dark spots along the bases of these fins. Caudal spotted. 

 Pectoral with a black blotch in its centre. 



Habits. Appear to resemble those of the "variegated 

 sole." 



