22 ANACANTHINI. 



times tinged with red. Donovan mentions one which, he observes, had ten or 

 twelve large dusky circular spots on the back, eight of which formed a circle 

 not very indifferently represented by Mr. Jago in the figure given by Ray. 



Varieties. — Mr. R. Couch remarked that the dark side is mottled in individuals 

 which inhabit rough ground. Couch observed that the Orkney fish were plumper 

 than those from the south coast. Professor Giglioli first drew my attention to 

 Amoglossus boscii being this species. 



Names. — Whiff, merry sole a term applied due to its active movements when 

 in the water. Carter, lantern referring to its semi-transparency when held up 

 against the light. Sail-fluke, Orkneys. She sole, Belfast ; ox- or white-sole, 

 Dublin. De sharretong , Dutch. Le Pleuronecte megastome ou Cardine, French. 



Habits. — Resides in Cornwall from about 4 to 15 miles from shore, and rarely 

 enters sandy bays. Its large prominent eyes give the impression that its 

 habitat is the deep sea. Off the Orkneys, Mr. Scarth says, it seldom comes to the 

 shore earlier than October or later than April, though it is often driven by storms 

 on the beach entangled among the sea-weed. He tells us the black-backed gulls 

 capture numbers. Dr. Duguid observes that this fish does not take a bait, and he 

 only once saw it caught in a net, but, he adds, off sandy shores and in calm weather 

 it comes ashore spontaneously, with its tail erected above the water, like a boat 

 under sail, whence its name. In these favoured places dogs are trained to catch 

 them ! The period when this fish exhibits its gambols is most frequently before 

 a storm, or when a thaw sets in, according to Mr. Scarth. These accounts, 

 Couch observes, have been confirmed by Mr. Thompson, of North Ronaldshay, 

 in which distant island the fish is not rare. Thompson found a Callionymus 

 dracunculus 3 inches long, and 3 small Gadi in one ; in a second 3 examples of 

 Merlangus vulgaris 3 inches long ; in a third only shrimp-like Crustacea. 



Means of capture. — The beam trawl, while it also takes a bait along the south- 

 west coast, although it is said never to do so in the Orkneys. 



Baits. — Similar to those employed for other flat fishes, which they take readily, 

 especially a slice of a pilchard or mackerel. 



Breeding. — Thompson, on October 31st, at Belfast, procured one which had 

 just shed its ova, only a few mature ones remaining. 



As food. — Of but little value, or, as Borlase remarked, good for nothing. In 

 the Orkneys, however, Dr. Duguid observes that it is highly prized as an article of 

 food, its flesh being white and firm ; but that it loses its flavour by a single day's 

 keeping. 



Habitat. — From the northern seas round the British to the French coasts. 



It is found in the Orkneys ; is rather rare off Banff (Edward) ; Aberdeen 

 (Sim) ; rare in Berwickshire (Johnston) ; resident in moderate numbers off 

 Yorkshire (Yorkshire Vertebrata). Has been taken along the south coast, appears 

 to be common off Devonshire and Cornwall. Mr. Dunn observes that it is not 

 uncommon to see 30 or 40 brought in by a trawler in one day. It has been 

 captured off Somersetshire (Baker) ; Carnarvonshire (Donovan) ; Flintshire 

 (Pennant). 



In Ireland it is occasionally taken from north to south along the east coast. 

 From Down and Belfast single individuals are brought to the Belfast market. 

 It is obtained at all seasons. Bell had it from Dublin and Youghal. During the 

 winter of 1865 it was rather plentiful (Blake- Knox, Zool. 1866, p. 508). 



The example figured was 10 inches in length. For it I am indebted to Mr. 

 D'Urban, of the Exeter Museum, in the market of which town it does not appear 

 to be uncommon. As to the size it may attain, the four largest Thompson 

 records were from 22 to 23^ inches in length. Donovan observes that one 

 brought to him, October 31st, 1775, was 18 inches long. 



2. Amoglossus laterna, Plate XCIX, fig. 2. 



Amoglossus, Rondel, xi, c. 14, p. 324 ; Aldrov. ii, c. 43, p. 237 ; Jonston, 

 i, tit. 1, c. 2a, punc. 1, p. 58 ; Gesner, Aquat. iv, p. 668 ; Wil. p. 102, t. F 8, f. 7. 

 Smooth cole, Pennant, Brit. Zool. (ed. 1776) iii, p. 232 and scald-fish (ed. 1812) 

 p. 325. 



