PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 19 



THE CRAIG FLOUNDER OF EUROPE, GLYPTOCEPHALU8 €TNO- 

 OX.OSSUS, ON THE COAST OF NORTH AMERICA. 



By O. BROWN GOODE and TARLETON II. BEAN. 



An unfamiliar pleuronectoid fish was found in our waters, in 1877, by 

 the United States Fish Commission (Prof. S. F. Baird, Commissioner). 

 Numerous specimens were trawled in the deep water off Salem, Mass., 

 on La Have Bank, and on the coast of Nova Scotia, off Halifax, in 

 Halifax Harbor, and in Bedford Basin, Halifax. 



A careful study proves that they belong to a well-known European 

 species, the Pleuronectes cynoglossus of Linne, lately referred by Pro- 

 fessor Gill to the genus Glyptocephalus of Gottsche. We also discover 

 the identity of this species with Glyptocephalus acadianus, described by 

 Gill , from a single specimen (No. 12685), taken by the Commission in 



1872, from the herring-weir on Treat's Island, Eastport, Me. 



Below are given detailed measurements of twenty-two individuals, 

 including authentically named European specimens from the University 

 of Christian ia, and the Bonaparte Collection, the type of G. acadianus, 

 three specimens from Massachusetts Bay, five from La Have Bank, and 

 eleven from the vicinity of Halifax. 



The genus of Gottsche was carefully redescribed by Professor Gill in 



1873, * and at the same time was published a full specific description of 

 the Eastport specimen. Although this description is founded upon an 

 individual which is among the most elongate of the series before us, it 

 is thoroughly satisfactory for all, if the tendency to variation in the 

 following particulars be noted.t 



(1) Height of body. — This is stated to be about 2| of length exclusive 

 of caudal, and in total length. In the series studied, the proportions 

 of this element varied, stated in units of hundredths of total length 

 (including caudal), from 0.245 to 0.375, No. 12685 having it 30. An 

 equally wide variation in the European fish is recorded by ParnelLJ 



The Pleuronectes elongatus of Yarrell is not nearly so elongated as 

 No. 21061 a (the figure of Couch has height about 0.275); and since no 

 other diagnostic characters have been described, we place it without 

 hesitation in the synonymy of G. cynoglossus. 



(2) Height of caudal peduncle. — This element is subject to very slight 

 variation, measuring usually 0.07 of total in both European and Amer- 

 ican specimens. The most elongate, slender forms have it slightly nar- 

 rower. In No. 12685 it measures 0.06, and 0.065 in No. 21001 b. 



(3) Length of head.— This varies from 0.15 to 0.175. In No. 12685 the 



* On a new American species of Pleuronectoid (Glyptocephalus acadianus). By Theo- 

 dore Gill, M. D. < Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, 

 1873, pp. 360-362. 



t Instead of having its radial formula D. 110 ; A. 100, as stated in the description, No. 

 12685 has it D. 107; A. 96. 



t Fishes of the Frith of Forth, p. 210, pi. xxxviii, and in Memoirs of the Wernerian 

 Society, vii, p. 370. 



