CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE BRITISH FAUNA. 



2. Pleuronectes punctatus. 

 * Eyes on the left side of the head. 



The length of the specimen in my possessions^ 

 is five inches arid a half from the nose to the 

 point of the tail ; and the breadth, two inches and 

 six-eighths. Jaws nearly equal ; teeth small ; 

 upper lip retractile and protrusile. Eyes middle- 

 sized. The lateral line, which is rather indis- 

 tinct, begins a short way behind the crown of the 

 head, is much bent above the pectoral fin, and 

 then proceeds in a straight line to the tail. The 

 dorsal fin consists of seventy-nine rays, with the 

 first of them longer than those which immediate- 

 ly fi^llow. The pectoral fins contain nine rays ; 

 but in the under fin, one of the rays is remarkably 

 short. The ventral fins consist of six rays. The 

 anal fin is composed of sixty-eight rays. The 

 caudal fin consists of seventeen rays, and is a 

 little rounded. 



The body and fins are closely covered with im- 

 bricated and denticulated scales. The denticles 

 of the scales are from foar to eight in number. 

 Colour black, mottled with brown on the upper 

 side, with a few scattered reddish spots. Beneath 

 white, without any markings. 



This specimen had not attained its full size. 

 I found it on the 18th January 1810 in a fishing- 

 boat, in Bixter-voe, Zetland, v 



This species appears to have been confounded 

 by Gmelin, Shaw, and others, with the WhifF of 



VOL. II, 



