FISHES 



the rays of the pelvic fins. This was origi- 

 nally described as a distinct species, Arno- 

 glossus lophotes, Gtlnther. The y9ung are 

 sometimes mistaken for young soles. 



100. Broad Scald-fish. Arnoglossus groh- 



manni, Bonap. 

 One specimen was obtained by the writer 

 at Plymouth ; six specimens were obtained 

 by Holt in the same neighbourhood in 1897 

 and 1898. 



1 01. Plaice. Pleuronectes platessa, hinn. 

 Fairly abundant. The plaice of the south 



coast are smaller than those of the northern 

 part of the North Sea, but about the same 

 size as those trawled off Lowestoft. The 

 males are smaller than the females. 



102. Lemon Dab. Pleuronectes mlcrocephalus, 



Donovan. 

 This fish is usually known as the lemon 

 sole in the fish trade, but, as it is not a species 

 of sole, but allied to the dab and plaice, the 

 above name is more appropriate. It is caught 

 in considerable numbers on the Devon trawling 

 grounds. 



103. Dab. Pleuronectes limanda, Linn. 

 Common. 



104. Witch or Pole Dab. Pleuronectes cyno- 



glossus, Linn. 

 A northern deep-water species which is rare 

 on Devon coasts, if it occurs at all. Day 

 states that he has obtained it from Brixham, 

 but as mentioned above the trawlers there go 

 to distant grounds. 



105. Flounder. Pleuronectes flesus, Linn. 

 Common in all the estuaries, and in the 



spawning season, February to May, on the 

 trawling grounds up to a depth of 30 fathoms. 



106. Sole. Solea vulgaris, Quensel. 

 Common and of fine size and quality. 



107. Lemon Sole, Sand Sole, French Sole. 



Solea lascaris, Risso. 

 This is never called lemon sole by the 

 fishermen or dealers, but usually sand sole. 

 It is distinguished by the dilated and fringed 

 nostril on the blind side. Only occasional 

 specimens are captured on the trawling 

 grounds. 



108. Thickback. Solea variegata, Donovan. 

 A very characteristic Devon species. Al- 

 though small it is excellent for the table, but 

 is consumed locally, not being valuable 

 enough to repay carriage to distant markets. 



109. Solenette. Solea lutea, Risso. 



Very common. Half-grown specimens are 

 usually taken in shrimp trawls in Plymouth 

 Sound, and are often believed by the fisher- 

 men to be the young of the common sole. 



PLECTOGNATHI 



no. Sun-fish. Orthagoriscus mola, hinn. 



Specimens are occasionally taken on the 

 south coast during summer and autumn. 

 One was captured some miles up the Exe in 

 1877. 



Mugil 



PERCESOCES 



111. Thick-lipped Grey Mullet. 



chelo, Cuv. 



Very common in estuaries and docks. 

 When the dry dock at Plymouth was pumped 

 out numbers of fine specimens were often 

 taken. The young are found as * brit ' at the 

 surface outside Plymouth breakwater. Liv- 

 ing specimens are usually kept in the Plymouth 

 Aquarium. 



112. Thin-lipped Grey Mullet. Mugil 



capita, Cuv. 

 Day states that he examined many speci- 

 mens obtained from Brixham, but the writer 

 never recognized it at Plymouth. 



113. Sand Smelt or Atherine. Atherina pres- 



byter, Jenyns. 

 Abundant in creeks and estuaries. 



114. Larger Launce or Sand-Eel. Ammo- 



dytes lanceolatus, Lesauvage. 

 Common on sandy shores. 



115. Lesser Launce or Sand-Eel. Ammodytes 



tobianus, Linn. 

 More common than the larger species. 

 Specimens can be obtained from the sand at 

 low water by digging with a walking stick or 

 other implement, but they are caught in 

 numbers with a small meshed seine. Sand- 

 eels caught at Slapton Sands are sold in 

 Dartmouth for food. They are also largely 

 used as bait. 



116. Garfish. Belone vulgaris, Ylemmg. 

 Taken frequently in summer in mackerel 



nets, and at times in seines. Young speci- 

 mens about 3 inches long were taken with 

 sprats in a seine in Hamoaze in September 

 1894. 



117. Saury Pike or Skipper. Scombresox saurus, 



Bl. Schn. 

 The writer has not seen it, but Parfitt states 



283 



