THE SALTWATER FLOUNDER. 305 



Platessa limanda.* — The Saltwater Flounder. 



Specific Characters. — Scales ciliated ; lateral line much arched 

 over the pectorals ; rays of the dorsal and anal fins rough. (Plate 

 XXXVII.) 



Description, — From a specimen a foot in length. Head less 

 than one-fifth of the whole length, caudal included ; body rather 

 more than twice the length of its breadth, fins excluded. Colour of 

 the upper surface yellowish-brown, sometimes pale yellow ; marked 

 with a few obscure orange spots ; fins rather lighter ; under surface 

 pure white. Dorsal fin commencing over the middle of the left or- 

 bit and terminating at a short distance from the caudal rays, the 

 first ray short, less than the diameter of the orbit ; the succeeding 

 ones gradually increasing in length to about the fortieth ray ; the re- 

 mainder rather more rapidly diminishing, the last very short. Caudal 

 rounded at the end, the middle ray as long as the base of the first 

 seventeen rays of the dorsal, all branched except the three lateral 

 ones which are shorter than the rest; pectorals more than half the 

 length of the head, the three or four middle rays of equal length. 

 Ventrals small, placed in advance of the base of the pectorals. Anal 

 fin commencing a little beyond the end of the ventral rays, and ter- 

 minating in a line under the last ray of the dorsal, the twenty-third 

 or twenty-fourth ray the longest, the rest gradually diminishing. 

 Both eyes placed on the right side of the head, the under of which is 

 rather in advance ; mouth small ; under jaw longest. Teeth obtuse, 

 placed in one row in each jaw ; lateral line taking a high curve over 

 the pectorals, from thence passing straight to the end of the middle 

 caudal ray. Scales of the body more than twice the size of those in 

 the last-described species, ciliated at the free margin, rendering a 

 roughness to the surface when the hand is passed from tail to head ; 

 each ray in the dorsal and anal fins is accompanied by a series of 

 ciliated scales running along the anterior margin ; these scales are more 

 perceptible on the middle rays, and are frequently wanting in the 

 lateral ones ; the caudal rays are furnished with a row of scales on 

 each side, but not ciliated, causing the fin to feel perfectly smooth ; 

 no scales on the pectorals or ventrals except a few at the base of the 

 first and second ray; a sharp, stout, reclining spine immediately at 

 the commencement of the anal fin. Number of fin rays — 



D. 75; P. 11; V. 6; A. 57; C. 16. 



" Platessa limanda, Yarr., Jen. Pleuronectes limanda, Bloch, Penn. 

 Don., Linn. Common Dab, Saltwater Fluke. 



