390 MITCHILL ON THE FISHES OF NEW-YORK. 



5. Flounder of New-York. (Pleuronectes dentatus.) With wide, 

 toothed, oblique mouth, and pale brown uniform back. 



Grows to the size of twenty-four inches long, and twelve broad, in 

 the south bays of Long-Island, and weighs five pounds. I have seen 

 him even larger and heavier than that. There is considerable variety 

 in his colours and spots. 



Mouth oblique, wide, and capacious. Teeth distinct, prominent, and 

 sharp. 



Colour of the back and fins commonly a pale brown, without lines or 

 spots ; and yet varieties occur, where the spotted appearance is very 

 plain. 



Back, belly, and fins smooth, and not spinous. Belly, in the younger 

 fish, partly opaque white, and partly semi-transparent white. Lateral 

 line curved at the thorax. Comes in plenty to the market, and is a 

 remarkably good fish to eat. Is so well characterized in the books, that 

 a more minute description is deemed unnecessary. Is called the sum- 

 mer flounder. 



Rays, Br. 6. P. 12. V. 6. D. 96. A. 73. C. 17. 



6. Black-bellied Flounder. {Pleuronectes melanogaster.) With black 

 belly, notched back, and whitish pectoral fins. 



This very peculiar fish was bought in the New-York market, on the 

 first day of June, 1814. Length fourteen inches and a half; breadth 

 six and a half. 



Eyes on the left. Mouth oblique, wide, and sharply toothed ; and 

 ihe other features resembling the P. dentatus. 



But the singularity of this specimen was, that the belly was almost as 

 dark coloured as the back ; the hue being only a shade lighter. The 

 nether pectoral fin had an approximation to white, from its middle 

 toward the end, and the upper one was somewhat whitish near the tip. 



The eyes were high up ; the upper one being almost on the back of" 



