VARIEGATED SOLE. 263 



specimen procured at Weymouth. Colonel Montagu men- 

 tions that Dr. Leach bought three in Plymouth market in 

 August 1808, and gave him one of them, measuring nine 

 inches in length, "from which his notes of the species were 

 recorded in his MS.; and Mr. Couch has observed it in Corn- 

 wall, very kindly sending me a specimen, from which the 

 woodcut was executed. But little is known of the habits of 

 this species ; but it is stated in Pennant that it appears about 

 Plymouth in the spring. 



It is immediately distinguished from either of the Soles 

 previously described here, by its variegated colour ; by its 

 scales, which are larger ; by its pectoral fins, which are much 

 smaller, that on the under side being very minute ; and by 

 the dorsal and anal fins, as shown in the cut, ending consi- 

 derably short of the tail. 



The whole length of the specimen described was five 

 inches ; the breadth without the fins, one inch and three- 

 eighths ; the length of the head compared to that of the 

 body alone, as one to four : the dorsal and anal fins ending on 

 the same plane, but not reaching the base of the caudal rays, 

 and both having the numerous rays projecting beyond the 

 edges of the connecting membranes, as shown in the cut ; 

 the right pectoral fin small, that on the under side consisting 

 of only two unequal, slender, and short rays. 



The fin-rays in number are — 



D. 67 : p. right side 4 : left side 2 : V. 5 : A. 52 : C. 16. 



The body is thicker in proportion than either of the Soles 

 previously described ; the scales larger, the divisions strong- 

 ly marked, the edges ciliated, rough to the touch ; the 

 lateral line straight : the colour of the upper side reddish 

 brown, clouded both on the body and fins with darker 

 brown ; the under surface white ; scales also ciliated and 

 harsh to the touch. 



