THE FISHES OF THE IRISH SEA. 51 



RHOMBUS L.VIS, Rondel. Brill. 

 (Day's British Fishes, vol. II., p. 14, PI. XCVII.) 



(Fish. Mus., Zool. Dep., Univ. Coll., Liverpool). Local name, "Brett." 

 The Brill, or Brett, ranges from Shetland to the Mediterranean. It is most abundant 

 on our southern coasts ; but many are taken with trawls along- with the turbot. It is usually 

 more numerous than the turbot, both on the Lancashire coast, in-shore and off-shore grounds, 

 and also in Cardigan Bay to the south. It is taken in the Barrow Channel, Menai Straits, 

 also off Port Erin and neighbourhood, where it is said by fishermen to be much less common 

 than formerly. We have taken the young down to 3 inches in length on the Blackpool closed 

 ground in January. 



SCOPHTHALMUS NORVEGicus, Gunth. Norwegian Top-knot. 



(Not in Day's British Fishes.) 

 (Fish. Mus., Zool. Dep., Univ. Coll., Liverpool.) 



This is a northern fish which ranges from Norway down to the English Channel. 

 It has been found recently in our seas on several occasions : by Mr. Ernest Holt 

 from the west coast of Ireland, and by Cunningham near Plymouth. We have a specimen 

 in the Collection at University College, Liverpool, which was obtained in the district. It 

 measures three inches in length. 



SCOPHTHALMUS UNIMACULATUS (Risso.) Bloch's Top-knot. 

 (See Zengoptems unimacnlatiis, Day's British Fishes, vol. II., p. 17, PI. XCIX.) 



(Fish. Mus., Zool. Dep., Univ. Coll., Liverpool.) 



This little fish ranges from Denmark to the Mediterranean, but is very rare round the 

 British coast. It has been taken a couple of times off Belfast ; it is recorded (by Mr. T. J. 

 Moore) in the books of the Liverpool Public Museum as being obtained "from Manx fishino- 

 boats " ; and we have two specimens which were trawled from the Fisheries Steamer "John 

 Fell," on i7th May, 1894, at 10 miles W. i N. from Morecambe Bay Light-ship, at a depth 

 of 23 fathoms. These pretty little fish differ in some points from the figure given by Day, 

 especially in the position of the spot, and in the length of the dorsal and ventral fins which, as 

 in Z. punctatns, pass under the tail. In these two points our specimens agree perfectly with 

 the figure and description given by the late Mr. George Brook in the Fourth Ann. Rep. 

 Fishery Bd. for Scotland, p. 225, PI. IX., as has been pointed out to us by Mr. Andrew Scott. 



ZEUGOPTERUS PUNCTATUS (Bl.) Muller's Top-knot. 



(Day's British Fishes, vol. II., p. 18, PI. C.) 

 (Fish. Mus., Zool. Dep., Univ. Coll., Liverpool.) 



This species ranges from the North of Europe to France. It is the commonest of the 

 little "Top-knots" in our seas. It has been recorded from all round the British coast, 

 including several places in our area : Anglesey (Gosden), neighbourhood of Mersey (Byerley, 

 1851), and we have taken it at the south end of the Isle of Man. 



LEPIDORHOMBUS MEGASTOMA (Donovan.) Megrim. 

 (Day's British Fishes* vol. II., p. 21, PL XCVIII.) 



(Fish. Mus., Zool. Dep., Univ. Coll., Liverpool.) Local name, "Megrim." 

 This species, variously called the Megrim and the Sail fluke, ranges from the North of 

 Europe to France. It is very scarce on the Lancashire coasts, but still is got there 

 occasionally. Pennant records it from Flintshire, Byerley from off the Dee, and White from 



