A HISTORY OF CORNWALL 



115. Lemon Dab. Pleuronectes microcepkalus, 



Donov. 



Usually called lemon sole in the fish trade. 

 Common on the trawling grounds, scarce in 

 shallow water. 



1 1 6. Dab. Pleuronectes limanda, Linn. 

 Common. 



117. Witch or Pole-Dab. Pleuronectes cyno- 



glossus, Linn. 



Dunn obtained one at Mevagissey, and Mr. 

 Cornish considers it rare along the Cornish 

 coast. It is a northern species of which only 

 occasional wanderers occur in Cornwall. 



**n8. Flounder. Pleuronectes Jlesus, Linn. 



Very common in the estuaries ; descends to 

 the sea in the spawning season, February to 

 May. The young of this species are abun- 

 dant in the tide pools of Mevagissey Harbour 

 in April and May in various stages of meta- 

 morphosis, the youngest being quite trans- 

 parent. 



119. Sole. Solea vulgaris, Quensel. 

 Common and fine. A few young speci- 

 mens about to f inch long occur with the 

 young flounders at low tide in Mevagissey 

 Harbour in May. 



1 20. Lemon Sole, Sand Sole, French Sole. 



Solea lascaris, Risso. 



This is a true sole quite distinct from the 

 lemon dab, which is called lemon sole by fish 

 dealers. It is at first sight similar to the 

 common sole, but distinguished by the colour 

 and by the dilated fringed nostril on the blind 

 side. It is comparatively rare. 



121. Thick-back or Variegated Sole. Solea 



variegata, Donov. 

 Common on the trawling grounds. 



122. Solenette. Solea /utea, Risso. 

 Common in sandy bays as well as in deeper 



water. Does not exceed 4 or 5 inches in 

 length, and is often erroneously supposed to 

 be the young of the common sole. 



PLECTOGNATHI 



123. Spotted File-fish. Batistes maculatus, 



Gmel. 



A single specimen in the British Museum 

 stated to have been received from Polperro, 

 but Day thinks this is probably a mistake. 



124. File-fish. Balistes capriscus, Gmel. 



A specimen was taken in 1865 at Porthloe, 

 and came into the possession of J. Couch. 



125. Globe-fish. Tetrodon lagocephalus, Linn. 

 A specimen obtained at Penzance i foot 



in length was described in Pennant's British 

 Zoology (1776). A specimen from Mount's 

 Bay was recorded by Boase in Proc. Zool. Soc. 

 1833. In 1867 one 19 inches long was taken 

 near Truro, and in 1868 one at Penzance 

 (Zool. 1868). Couch, without giving the 

 years, states that one was taken at Polperro, 

 two in Mount's Bay and one at St. Ives. It 

 belongs to the tropical Atlantic. 



126. Sun-fish. Orthagoriscus mala, Linn. 

 Large specimens are occasionally captured 



in summer and autumn. Borlase mentions a 

 specimen from Mount's Bay, and I saw a 

 large specimen a few years ago at Penberth, 

 west of Penzance. 



127. Oblong Sun-fish. Orthagoriscus trun- 



catus, Retz. 



Borlase also mentions this species in his 

 Natural History of Cornwall as taken at Pen- 

 zance in 1743. Couch mentions two taken 

 in Mount's Bay in 1855. One was taken at 

 Charlestown and is in the Truro Museum. In 

 1883 one was caught in Looe Harbour (Clogg, 

 Zool.) 



PERCESOCES 



** 128. Thick-lipped Grey Mullet. Mugil 



chela, Cuv. 



This species is abundant at certain times 

 and places. Large specimens are captured in 

 large numbers at Sennen in winter time by 

 means of seines. They are common about 

 the docks at Falmouth, and in the Swan Pool 

 near that town. In the latter place the water 

 is almost fresh, but the sea water enters at 

 flood tide. The outlet is protected by a grat- 

 ing so that mullet can only enter when small 

 and young. 



** 129. Thin-lipped Grey Mullet. Mugil 



capita, Cuv. 



Day states that he obtained many speci- 

 mens from the south-west coast, but the 

 present writer has never identified it. 



130. Sand Smelt or Atherine. Atherlna 



presbyter, Jenyns. 



Very common in all the harbours and 

 estuaries. 



131. Larger Launce or Sand Eel. Ammody- 



tes lanceolatus, Lesauvage. 

 Common on sandy shores. 



132. Lesser Launce or Sand Eel. Ammody- 



tes tobianus, Linn. 

 More abundant than the preceding species. 



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