315 



PEARL. 



Pleuronectes Rhombus. P.fuscus, svbftato maculatus, corpore 

 glabra. 



Brown Flounder, with yellowish spots, and smooth body. 

 Pleuronectes Rhombus. P. oculis sinistris 9 corpore glabra, 



Lin. Syst. Nat. p. 452. 

 Pleuronectes corpore lato et glabro. Block, t. 36. 

 The Pearl. Will, ichth. p. $5. Penn. brit. zool. 3. 



The Pearl is distinguished from the Turbot by 

 the perfect smoothness of its skin, which is covered 

 with scales of moderate size, and is of a pale brown 

 colour above, marked by scattered yellowish or 

 rufous spots, and white beneath : the lateral line, 

 as in the Turbot, is first arched over the pectoral 

 fins, and from thence runs strait to the tail : in its 

 general form this fish resembles the Turbot, but is 

 usually inferior in size. 



The Pearl is by most modern authors supposed, 

 perhaps erroneously, to have been the Rhombus 

 of the ancient Romans, of which a specimen of 

 enormous size is said to have been taken in the 

 reign of Domitian*, who ludicrously ordained a 

 Senatusconsultum relative to the mode of bringing 

 it to table. 



Juxen. sat. 4. 



