Contributions to British Ichthyology. 527 



together with the ventral and anal fins, are of a dirty white, more or 

 less shaded with red. The pectoral fins are of a deep blue colour, par- 

 ticularly on the inner surface. The first dorsal fin commences in a 

 vertical line over the base of the pectorals, and terminates at the 

 origin of the second dorsal, which runs down the back to within 1^ 

 inch of the base of the tail. The anal fin commences under the second 

 ray of the last dorsal, and ends at a little behind the termination of 

 the same fin. The pectorals are rather large, a little longer than the 

 ventrals, and reaching as far as the second ray of the anal. The first 

 ray of the anterior dorsal fin is spinous, about 1 \ inch in length, 

 not half the length of the second, which is setaceous as well as the 

 third. The fourth ray is spinous, as well as the remainder of the rays 

 of that fin. The anterior rays of the second dorsal fin are longer 

 than the terminating ones ; the tail is lunated, with each extremity 

 of equal length. 



The numbers of the fin rays are : 



1st D. 9; 2d D. 17 ; P. 12 ; and 3 free ; A. 18; C. 9 ; V. 6. 



The head is one-fifth the length of the whole fish. On each side, 

 a little below the lateral line, is a broad light metallic band, ex- 

 tending from the operculum to the base of the tail. The lateral line 

 is smooth, broad, and slightly elevated, composed of a series of semi- 

 circular plates, beautifully radiated at their free border. The dor- 

 sal ridge is formed of twenty-four sharp serrated plates, extending 

 from the first to the last dorsal ray. The scapular spines are very 

 short. The eyes moderate ; two spines situated at the upper and 

 anterior margin of each orbit. The snout slightly dentated and ra- 

 ther blunt at its extremity. Body smooth ; scales oval and entire ; 

 the air-bladder is bilobed, with the coats remarkably thick and 

 opaque. In none of the specimens could I find any appearance 

 of roe. 



This fish can be readily distinguished from every other species of 

 the same genus yet known, by the form and arrangement of the la- 

 teral plates, and by the elongated second ray of the first dorsal fin, 

 which, when folded down, reaches beyond the sixth ray of the se- 

 cond dorsal fin. 



2. MONOCHIRUS MINUTUS. 



This species of Sole is undoubtedly an addition to our British Fauna, 

 and seems unknown to Cuvier, Brunner, Block, Kisso, or to any 

 other author whom I have consulted ; but how far it is new to science 

 remains to be determined by future research. Perhaps I may have 



