MITCHILL ON THE FISHES OF NEW-YORK. 391 



the head. There was a notch over which a shoulder projected from 

 the neck a quarter of an inch forward. The dorsal fin commenced 

 from the anterior point of that projection. 



There was, besides, a singular resemblance in the scales of the back 

 and belly. They were so much alike, that a superficial observer would 

 suppose the fish was one that swam perpendicularly. The rays of the 

 dorsal and anal fins were the only ones that differed from the preceding, 

 of which he is, probably, but a variety. 



Rays, Br. 6. P. 12. D. 84. V. 6. A. 66. C. 17. 



7. Spotted Flounder. (Pleuronectes oblongus.) With spineless body 5 

 four spots on his back, and prominent angular tail. 



I examined this fish June 30th, 1814, and found his length to be fif- 

 teen inches, and his breadth six. He comes in between the P. macu~ 

 latus, and the P. dentatus ; and is rather a soft and mucous fish ; with 

 eyes to the left. 



Mouth large, oblique, and toothed. Teeth distinct and acute. Eyes 

 pale yellow, broad, approximated, and separated by a bony ridge. 



Lateral line incurved at the thorax, and thence running palpably and 

 visibly straight to the tail. 



Colour of the back a mixture of pale brownish and whitish specks., 

 with a sort of semi-hyaline complexion like the watery flounder. 

 Though he has, too, a resemblance to the P. dentatus, he is a longer 

 and a narrower fish, as I found by comparing the fresh specimens. 



Extremities of some of the anal * nd caudal rays whitish. 



The uniformity of colour is interrupted by four dark spots on the 

 back, two on each side of the lateral line. One of the two on each 

 side, is about midway of the length, and the other near the tail. The 

 former are about three quarters of an inch in diameter ; the latter not 

 bo considerable. 



