196 MALACOPTERYGII. 



D. 78 ; A. (52 (spine not counted) ; C. 18 ; P. 11 on each side ; V. 6 ; 

 D. commencing above middle of eye. 



3Iarch \oth, 1837. I bought a dab in Belfast market. 



Its length is 10^ inches. 



D. 74 ; A. 60 (spine not counted) ; P. 12 (on each side) ; V. 6 ; C. 18 

 (in all). 



Before the A. fin is a short strong spine ; P. on upper side considerably 

 longer than on under. 



Both sides rough throughout. 



" Teeth sharp, a little distance from each other." Jen, p. 456. 



Colour, entii'e upper side, including ] )., A., and C. fins, brown, of diff"erent 

 shades begrimed Avith black ; on these fins and in some parts of the body 

 many inconspicuous roundish spots of a broAvnish orange over the body, 

 similar to what I have remarked on Pleuronectes Flesiis ; P. fin brownish 

 orange. 



JEi/e, pupil dark blue, irides golden, a little obscured by brown. 



On dissection it proved a female, the ova extremely minute. 



Its stomach contained fragments of one of the bivalve shells, Solen 

 (neither of the 2 smaller species), and of corallines, amongst which Ser- 

 tularia dicliotoma was apparent. 



The Lemon Dab, or Smooth Dab,* Platessa microcejyhala, Flem., 



Is occasionally taken around the coast, but not in large numbers on any 

 part of it. 



I noticed it as an addition to our Fauna in the Zool. Proc. 1835, p. 81, 

 but subsequently learned that it had been known to Templeton. (See his 

 Catalogue afterwards published.) It is occasionally brought from the 

 coasts of Down and Antrim to Belfast market, at all seasons, but espe- 

 cially in spring, and is to my taste a much better fish than plaice, although 

 not just so good as sole, nor so sweet as the dab. 



Small specimens are sometimes taken in the (kedge in Belfast Bay : 

 one of these, 7| inches in length, thus obtained on 3rd Oct., 1846, did not 

 exceed 2^ inches in breadth of body between the bases of the dorsal and 

 anal fins at any part. This specimen I preserved to show the elongate 

 form of the immature fish. Dr. R. Ball has rarely seen specimens from 

 the coasts of Dublin and Cork. Mr. M'Calla notes it as a Connemara fish, 

 but scarce. 



March 3rd, 1835. In Belfast market I obtained a specimen of this fish 

 which was taken near Killough (County Down), length 13i inches. 



I). 93; P. 9 ; V. 5 ; A. 76 ; C. 19 (reckoning side rays, comprising in 

 all 4 ?) ; B. 4, I can only reckon. 



This specimen is free from spots, as Donovan describes ; it is obscurely 

 marked on the upper side and on D., A., and C. fins with many diff'erent 

 shades of brown and grey and dull yellow ; the orange stripe round the 

 base of operculum, as figured by Donovan, is very conspicuous. 



It proved with roe, on dissection. Irides very pale yellow, much clouded 

 with brown. 



3Iorch \~th, 1835. I bought another example in Belfast market, Avhich 

 was taken at Ardglass. Its length is 16 inches. B. 4 ? D. 93; P. 9; V. 

 5 ; A. 76 ; C. 19 in all. Irides as above. Colour as above ; under side 

 white in both sjjecimens, and not spotted after the manner described by 



* In Belfast market this fish is called Lemon sole, which is said to be the 

 name given to it at Bath; — French sole at Youghal. 



