140 FISHES OF MASSACHUSETTS, 



Family II. 

 PLANI. 



Platessa. Cuv. 



Generic characters. Body rhomboidal, depressed ; both eyes 

 on the right side of the head, one above the other ; a roio of 

 teeth in each jaw, ivith others on the pharyngeal bones ; dorsal 

 fin commencing over the vpper eye, that fin and the anal fin 

 extending nearly the luhole length of the body, but neither of 

 thein joined to the tail ; branchiostegous rays 6. 



P. plana. Mitchell. The Flounder of Massachusetts. 

 Trans. Lit. et Philosoph. Soc. N. Y. vol. i. p. 387. 



This fish, which Mitchell calls the ''New York Flatfish,'" 

 is generally known by our fishermen as the '• Flounder." It 

 is taken in considerable quantities throughout all the warm 

 season near the shore, from the wharves, bridges, &c., and in 

 the winter is speared through the ice. Those taken about 

 Deer Island are considered very fine, in the market. The 

 largest specimen of the '•'■plana," I have seen, measured in 

 length twenty-one inches, and in width, seventeen inches. 



The color is very variable ; sometimes the right side, upon 

 which are situated the eyes, is of a rusty brown ; sometimes of 

 a dark, blackish brown ; at other times, of a dull slate color. 

 Scales small. Surface of the fish, smooth. Left side colorless. 



Length of the specimen before me, thirteen and a half inches ; 

 length, exclusive of the tail, ten and a half inches ; length of 

 the head, two and a half inches ; depth of the fish across its 

 middle, less than half the length of the fish, when the tail is 

 included. Head covered with scales ; mouth small ; lips large 

 and fleshy ; a single row of compact, prominent, slightly in- 

 curved teeth in each jaw. The half of the jaw next to the 

 eyes, without teeth. Eyes large ; their longest diameter six 

 lines; the shorter, four lines; pupils black; irides golden. 

 Space between the eyes, two lines wide, covered with scales. 



