THE FLOUNDER FAMILY. 351 



topknot agrees with that found in his oldest specimen, viz. 

 Dorsal 80, Anal 66. He also found a series of small spines 

 in an adult behind and along the gill-covers. These, however, 

 may be only longer median spines of the scales of the region. 



Between the stage just described, and measuring 10'62 mm., 

 and what appears to be an older condition of the same form, no 

 intermediate examples are known, yet the gap is by no means 

 wide. In Holt's oldest form the eyes are still lateral, though 

 the right eye has begun to move. In those procured on the 

 east coast of Scotland, the length is less than that of Holt's 

 oldest form, but the body is broader, and the shape and arrange- 

 ment of the fins are more like those of the adult. In what 

 appears to be the youngest specimen procured at the surface on 

 Smith Bank, off Caithness, the length is 10 mm. (in spirit), and 

 the right eye is almost invisible from the left, only a faint 

 crest indicating it. None of the pigment is visible. The 

 fish appears to be considerably older than Holt's, since the 

 larval tail has disappeared, and the body has greatly increased 

 in breadth. The shape of the head, the prominent angle of 

 jaw, the comparative size of the eye, the ear-spines and the gap 

 behind the ventral fins are characteristic (Plate XIV, fig. 5). 



In the next stage, procured on the 10th September in 

 St Andrews Bay in the mid- water net, the length is about 

 11 mm. in spirit, and the right eye viewed from the left is 

 distinctly seen above the ridge. In other respects it agrees 

 with the former. 



In the stage (Plate XIV, fig. 8) procured on the 31st 

 August, at 22 fathoms south-east of the Isle of May, the 

 length is but 11 mm.^ and the eye is on the ridge, being best 

 seen from above. The ear-spines and other distinctive 

 characters are present. The right surface is pale — with the 

 exception of a few irregular black specks and touches, while 

 the left is streaked with black pigment-bands, which have a 

 remarkably regular arrangement, the touches in both dorsal 

 and anal fins being joined by intermediate streaks, the head 

 and abdomen only showing scattered points. The pelvic fins 



1 The size formerly given was 9-8 mm. in length and 7 mm. in breadth, but 

 with a more accurate scale the length is as stated above. 



