muller's topknot. 245 



the boys find small ones, not larger than a half-crown piece, 

 in the pools left by the tide. This species of Flatfish does 

 not probably attain any great size ; the largest examples 

 I have seen not exceeding seven or eight inches in length. 



Mr. Baker, of Bridgewater, sent me a specimen, beautifully 

 preserved, that had been taken in the Bristol Channel : and 

 I have a record of one that was caught on the coast of the 

 county of Down in Ireland. 



The whole length of the specimen described is five inches 

 and one quarter ; the length of the head compared to that 

 of the body, without the caudal rays, is as one to two and 

 a half ; the breadth of the body, not including the dorsal 

 and anal fins, half of the whole length : the form of the 

 body, including both these fins, is rhomboid : the dorsal 

 fin commences immediately over the upper lip, the rays 

 lengthening by degrees, and being longest over the posterior 

 third part of the body ; the pectoral fin small ; the ventral 

 fins placed in a vertical line under the middle of the head, 

 and attached to the commencement of the anal fin by a 

 membrane : this latter-named fin commences under the line 

 of the ascending posterior margin of the preoperculum : both 

 dorsal and anal fin end on the same plane, and are connected 

 to the fleshy portion of the tail by a membrane ; the tail 

 small and rounded. The fin-rays in number are — 



D. 90 : P. 11 : V. 6 : A. 70 : C. 14. Vertebrje 33. 



The mouth is small, the position almost vertical ; the 

 teeth distinct, small, conical, and sharp : the diameter of the 

 eye equal to one-fourth of the length of the head ; the upper 

 eye placed behind the line of the lower to the distance of 

 nearly one-half its width : the basal and ascending marginal 

 lines of the preoperculum form an obtuse angle ; the cheeks, 

 operculum, and body, covered with denticulated scales, 



