34§ 



TROPICAL ANI) SOUTHERN FISHES 



presence of eye-like spots on the brightly coloured upper surface. A third tropical 

 genus, Synaptura, has the eyes on the right side ; the score or so of species, with 

 the exception of two, being restricted to the Indian Ocean. On the other hand, 

 the members of the genus Gymnachirus, easily recognised by the absence of scales, 

 are confined to the tropical Atlantic; while Rhovibosolea is a native of New 

 Zealand waters. A noteworthy type is Cynoglossus, characterised by the elongated 

 snout, and its long narrow shape, which has led to the name of " dog's tono-ue." 

 Although distributed throughout the Indian seas, these flat-fishes are specially 

 abundant off the coast of China. 



The John Dory is the typical representative of a family, Zeidce, which may be 



JOHN' DORY. 



regarded as a survivor of the ancestral stock of the flat-fishes ; the body being 

 greatly compressed, although the head is symmetrical. Curiously enough, however, 

 dories swim a little obliquely in the water, as though showing a tendency towards 

 the flat-fishes. In addition to their peculiar form, these fishes may be recognised 

 by the tall and cleft front dorsal fin, the protractile, sucking mouth, and the large 

 white-bordered black spot on the side which is believed by some to have been the 

 origin of the name. Although not infrequently taken in the British seas, the dory 

 is essentially a warm-water fish, and is abundant in the Mediterranean, whence 

 the geographical range of this or closely allied species extends to Japan, Australia, 

 and New Zealand. A very similar distribution characterises the three species of 

 the nearly allied genus Cyttus, of which the range extends from Madeira to 

 Australia and New Zealand. 



