32 ANACANTH1NL 



flynder, Strom, Sondm. i, p. 278. Bab, Pennant, Brit. Zool. (ed. 1776), iii, p. 230 

 (ed. 1812), iii, p. 308. La Limancla, Duharnel, Peches, ix, c. i, p. 267, pi. vi, 

 f. 1,2. 



Pleuronectes limanda, Linn. Syst. Nat. i, p. 457; Bl. Fische Dents, ii, p. 45 

 t. xlvi ; Gmel. Linn. p. 1231 ; Lacep. iv, p. 621 ; Bl. Schon. p. 145 ; Bonn. Enc. Ich 

 p. 75 ; Quensel, Vet. Akad. Handl. 1806, p. 220 ; Donovan, Brit. Fish, ii, p. 44 

 Shaw, Zool. iv, p. 298 ; Turton, Brit. Fauna, p. 96 ; Faber in Isis, 1828, p. 881 

 Fries and Eks. Skand. Fisk. p. 150, pi. xxxiv ; Nilss. Skand. Fanna, iv, p. 627 

 Thompson, Nat. Hist. Ireland, iv. p. 195 ; H. Malm. Wiegm. Arch. 1864, p. 293 

 Giinther, Catal. iv, p. 446 ; Schlegel, Dier. Ned. p. 169, pi. xvi, f. 3 ; Collett 

 p. 146 ; Malm, p. 525 ; Mcintosh, Fish. St. Andrew's, p. 180 ; Winther, Ich. Dan 

 Mar. p. 39. 



Pleuronectes platessoides, Faber, Fische Isl. p. 140 (not Fabr.). 



Platessa limanda, Flem. Brit. An. p. 198 ; Jenyns, Man. p. 456 ; Templeton, 

 Mag. Nat. Hist. 1837 (2), i, p. 411 ; Yarrell, Brit. Fishes (Ed. 1), ii, p. 219, c. fig. 

 (Ed. 2), ii, p. 307 (Ed. 3), i, p. 628 ; Kroyer, Dan. Fiske, ii, p. 298 ; Parnell, 

 Wern. Mem. vii, p. 365, t. xxxvii, and Fish. Firth of Forth, p, 205, pi. xxxvii ; 

 Johnston, Berwick. Field Club, 1838, i, p. 174 ; White, Catal. p. 100 ; Mcintosh, 

 Fish. N. Uist, Pro. R. S. Edin. v. 1862-66, p. 614. 



Limanda vulgaris, Gottsche, Wiegm. Arch. 1835, p. 160 ; Moreau, Poiss. France, 

 p. 289. 



Limanda oceanica, Bonap. Cat. no. 412. 



Lab, Couch, Fishes of Brit. Isles, iii, p. 185, pi. clxx. 



B. vii, D. 65-78, P. 10-11, V. 6, A. 50-62, C. 14, L. 1. 86-96, Cose. pyl. 4, 



Vert. 39-40. 



Length of head 4| to 5, of caudal fin 5-f, height of body 2f in the total length. 

 LJyes — the lower slightly anterior, to the upper, diameter h\ to 6 in length of the 

 head, \ to 1 diameter from end of snout, and separated by a narrow osseous ridge. 

 Lower jaw prominent : the maxilla, which is as long as the orbit, extends to 

 beneath the first third of the eye. Teeth — a row of about 22 closely set, lanceolate 

 ones on the blind side. Fins — the dorsal commences above the middle of the upper 

 eye, the rays gradually increase in length to about the centre of their number 

 (37 or 40) when they commence decreasing in height : the fin does not reach the 

 base of the caudal, leaving an uncovered space equal to about 1/2 the height of the 

 free portion of the tail. Pectoral as long as the postorbital portion of the head. 

 Ventral not joined to anal. A small spine, directed forwards, at the commencement 

 of the anal fin. Caudal slightly rounded. Scales— on coloured side with ctenoid 

 margins, those between the eyes and on the cheeks smaller than those on the body. 

 A row along each dorsal and anal ray. Lateral-line — smooth : at its commencement 

 it has a semi-circular curve above the pectoral fin, while it sends a branch over the 

 occiput. Intestines — three or four short coecal appendages. Colours — Brownish, 

 with some cloudy markings and spots : dorsal and anal fin, with whitish margins. 

 Occasionally white spots are seen on the coloured side of the body. 



Varieties. — Thompson observed in some examples he took at Ballyhome Bay 

 (co. Down), in September, that they had a few black spots and markings over the 

 body and fins : also at the base of the dorsal fin about six round white spots at 

 regular distances, and about four similar white spots regularly disposed at the 

 base of the anal fin. 



Names. — Common dab, the term " dab " is considered to be one of contempt, as 

 in Lincolnshire it refers to an insignificant fellow : sattie, Aberdeen (Sim) : salt- 

 vjater fluke, Edinburgh: grey fleuh, Moray Firth : grey bach, Portrush, co. Antrim 

 (Ogilby). Be Schar, Dutch: La Limande, French. 



Habits. — Frequents most sandy localities around the coasts, and Parnell found 

 it in shallow water. It feeds on marine worms and small Crustacea. Thompson 

 found in the stomach of one, captured in March, at Belfast, "fragments of one of 

 the bivalve shells, solen (neither of the two smaller species), and of corallines, 

 among which Sertularia dichotoma was apparent." Johnston remarked that off 

 Berwickshire its favourite food appeared to be the pretty Pecten obsoletus. 



