378 FISHES OF THE FIRTH OF FORTH. 



tish Fishes. Mulleins Topknot is distinguished from Bloch's 

 Topknot, in the under surface of the body being perfectly 

 smooth, and in the first ray of the dorsal fin not being 

 longer than the second ; whereas, in the latter species, the 

 under surface is rough, with ciliated scales, and the first 

 ray of the dorsal fin is about three times as long as the se- 

 cond ray. 



There is no other species with which the present one 

 could well be mistaken, in consequence of its very sin- 

 gular and striking appearance. In the Edinburgh market 

 it receives the name of the Little Black Hairy Fluke, and 

 is very rarely seen except during stormy weather. It has 

 been taken several times on the English coast, and, accord- 

 ing to Mr Yarrell, once on the coast of the county of Down 

 in Ireland. It inhabits deep and rocky ground, and seldom 

 takes a bait. Those which have fallen under my observation 

 were taken in the Firth of Forth, in crab-cages, generally 

 near Inchkeith, but not beyond Inchcolme. They feed on 

 small shells and star-fish. Their flesh is soft, and insipid to 

 the taste. 



Genus SOLE A. — Both eyes on the right side ; dorsal 

 fin commencing over the upper lip, and reaching to the 

 caudal. 



SOLEA VULGARIS. — THE SoLE. 



Specific Characters. — Upper side of the body dark brown ; pecto- 

 ral tipped with black ; greatest breadth not half the length. 



Description. — From a specimen thirteen inches and a half in length. 

 Breadth, fins included, six inches. Head about one-seventh of the 

 whole length. Colour of the back dark brown ; under surface pure 

 white. Dorsal fin commencing over the upper lip, running down 

 the back, to be connected with the caudal rays ; the middle rays 

 rather the longest, equalling the length of the base of the four first 

 rays of the same fin. Caudal small, rounded at the end ; all the rays 



