426 ANACANTHIFI. 



B. Pectorals absent. 



4 Solea Indica, D. 56, A. 44, L. 1. 75. Brownisli, Tertical fins darker. Madras. 



A. Pectorals present. 

 1. Solea heterorhina, Plate XCII, fig. 6. 



Solea heterorUrms, Bleeker, Amboinai p. 64, and Atl. Ich. Pleur. p. 17, t. 211, f. 2. 



Soleichthys heterorhmus, Bleeker, En. Spec. p. 183. 



Solea heterorhina, Gimther, Catal. iv, p. 466. 



B. vi, D. 87-94, P. 8, V. 4, A. 78-82, C. 16, L. 1. 105-110. 



Length of head 6| to 7, height of body 3| to 3i in the total length. JEyes— close together, the upper 

 slightly in advance of the lower, diameter 4^ in the length of head, and about 1/2 a diameter from .the end of the 

 snout. Head 1/3 higher than long. Cleft of the mouth extends to below the first third of the lower orbit. Two 

 nostrils, the posterior just in front of the lower orbit, the anterior a little before it, consisting in the adidt, of 

 a long tube which being laid backwards reaches the hiad edge of the eyes, it is not so elongated in the young: 

 a short tubular nostril on the blind side. Fins — dorsal and anal rays unbranched. Pectoral on the coloured 

 side short, the two upper rays being considerably longer than the lower ones : on the blind side this fin is 

 rudimentary. Free portion of the tail very short. Scales — feebly ctenoid on both sides. Lateral-line — straight 

 and in simple tubes. Colours — of a rich brownish olive, with irregular vertical bands, blotcheSj and spots edged 

 with black. 



Habitat. — Andamans to the Malay Archipelago. The specimen (figured life-size) was from Port Blair, 

 where it was captured by Dr. Dobson. 



2. Solea elongata, Plate XC, fig. 4. 

 B. vi, D. 70-73, P. 9, V. 4, A. 60-62, C. 18, L. 1. 120. 



Length of head 6i, height of body 3 in the total length. Eyes — upper on the same leveJ anteriorly as 

 the lower, diameter 6 in length of head, 1/2 a diameter apart, and 1 from the end of snout. Upper jaw shghtly 

 the longer : numerous short tentacles about the blind side of the head, lips not fringed. Angle of the jaws 

 beneath the anterior third of the lower orbit. Two nostrils, a small one in front of lower eye, and a tubular 

 one anterior to it : that on the blind side concealed, Height of head rather exceeds its length. Fins — dorsal 

 and anal rays unbranched, the highest equals 1/4 of that of the body. Pectoral on the coloured side equals 

 rather above 1/2 length of head, and is much longer than that on the blind side : both ventrals present. 

 Scales — feebly ctenoid on both sides, present on dorsal and anal rays. Golowrs — of an olive stone-colour, 

 irregularly vertically banded, with black spots and blotches, fins also spotted. Centre of pectoral with a 

 black blotch. Fins also spotted. 



This fish is closely allied to Solea ovata, but has a much lower body and A. 60-62, instead of A. 42-49. 



Mahitat. — Madras, where two specimens were obtained. 



3. Solea ovata, Plate XCIII, fig. 1. 

 Richardson, Ich. China, p. 279 ; Gunther, Catal. iv, p. 472 (not Cantor). 



Solea ? Jerdon, Madras, Journal Lit. and Science, 1851, p. 147. 



B. vi, D. 60-66, P. 9, V. 5, A. 42-49, C. 12, L. I. 110. 



Length of head 5 to 5^, height of body 2^ in the total length. Byes — upper one-half in advance 

 of the lower, diameter 6 in the length of head, 3/4 of a diameter apart, and the lower li diameters 

 from the end of snout. Height of head 1/3 more than its length. Upper jaw a little the longer, numerous 

 short tentacles about the blind side of the head, lips not fringed. Angle of the mouth below the middle of 

 the lower orbit. Two nostrils, a small open one just in front of the lower eye, and a tubular one anterior 

 to it : that of the blind side not dilated, concealed. 2?'iws— dorsal and anal rays, except the last few, 

 unbranched, the highest being about 3^ in that of the body, pectoral on the coloured side two thirds as long as 

 the head and haU longer than the one on the blind side. Both ventrals present. Scales — strongly ctenoid, 

 present on dorsal and anal rays. Colowrs—oi an olive brown, with spots and blotches of black on the 

 coloured side of body and vertical fins. Pectoral deep black in its outer two-thirds, or else with a 

 black blotch. 



Solea maculata (Cuvier), Bleeker, so named from a Pondicherry specimen, collected by Kuhl'and 

 V. Hasselt, is probably this species. Bleeker observes that Solea humilis, Cantor=/Sf. ovata (Richards.), 

 Cantor and he places S. maeulata as a synomym. 8. hwrnilis, Cantor, has L. 1. 95-100. 



Babitat.—M&dvas to China, the one figured was the largest obtained at Madras, where it is termed 

 Sdli-pattS according to Jerdon. 



B. Pectorals absent. 



4. Solea Indica. 



Giinther, Catal. iv, p. 474. 



B. vi, D. 55, V. 4, A. 44, C. 12, L. 1. 75. 



