38 



same time, and from eighteen to twenty-four inches in length." 

 Some of the dealers inform me that it has been scarcer of late years. 

 Certain it is that, except in the autumn, it is of rare occurrence in 

 our markets. 



From Microgadus californiciis this species may at once be recog- 

 nized by the large size of the mouth and the union of the two pos- 

 terior dorsals into one fin, each portion of which, as well as the first 

 dorsal and the two portions of the anal, is highest near the center of 

 its length. 



Microgadus ccdifornicus, Gill; 3Iorrhua proxima, Girard, Tom- 

 cod — Tliis little fish is abundant throughout the year, and I am 

 assured that when it is properly cooked no fish of the coast surpasses 

 it in flavor. It may be at once known from every other fish by the 

 three separate triangular dorsal fins, the first highest and all highest 

 anteriorby, tlie small mouth, and the short barbel below the chin. In 

 length it seldom exceeds eight or nine inches. It is common in the 

 Bay of San Francisco. 



SUBORDER HETEROSOMATA — FLAT-FISHES. 



No tribe of fishes is probably so w^ell known to that large class of 

 naturalists whose love of nature takes a practical turn, who like best 

 those creatures which taste best wdien boiled or fried, as the flound- 

 ers, flat-fishes, or Pleuronedidse. Apart from their attractiveness to 

 the sense of taste, they have one peculiarity which challenges the 

 attention of the most uninterested observer of this world's living 

 wonders — they have both their eyes placed on the same side of the 

 head. If a little more attention be paid to this obvious feature, it 

 will be found to be even a greater peculiarity than w^as at first sup- 

 posed. The flounders are not the only fishes which have their eyes 

 on the same side of the body; the skates, rays, torpedoes, and their 

 relations are in this respect similar. Where then, lies the great dif- 

 ference between these two classes, for no one would confound the 

 two, even at the first glance? Simply in this, that the skate and ray 

 tribe are flattened downwards, the side which is uppermost is the 

 proper upper side, and the ej^es are placed in their usual position 

 with regard to the other parts of the head; whereas, in the flat-fishes 

 the body is flattened out sideways, the fish swims on one of its sides, 

 instead of on the proper under-surface; and the eye which of right 

 belongs to the side which is beneath, has twisted round out of its 

 place, and is situated on the same side with the other, unsymmetri- 

 cally with the other parts of the head. Of course this is not the 

 only difference between the skates and the flounders. There are far 

 more important anatomical differences, but it is one of the most 

 obvious outward distinctions between two tribes which, though 

 widely separated in other respects, resemble each other in having the 

 eye so placed as to look upwards, in their thin flat bodies, colored upon 

 the upper side only, or principally, and in their habit of residing 

 at the bottom of the sea; their uncolored surface resting on the 

 bottom. Again, the flat-fishes are not the only fishes which have a 

 very wnde body, flattened laterally ; the sunfish is also very deep 

 from dorsal to anal; and some of the mackerel tribe are even more 

 excessively compressed ; but these and all other laterally compressed 

 fishes, except the flat-fishes, swim in the usual manner, dorsal fin 

 uppermost, and the eyes are in the usual position — one on each side. 



