of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



75 



Genus Solea. 



Solea vulgaris, Quensel. The Black Sole. PI. i. b., fig. 34 ; pi. iv., 

 fig. 17. 



A single pair of earstones are represented among the photographs 

 given here. They are from a fish of scarcely average size, its entire 

 length being only 12| inches, but they represent the characteristic form 

 and size of the earstones of Solea vulgaris. The earstones of this 

 specimen were 5mm. across the longer diameter, by fully 4mm. in width, 

 so that they are equal to about one sixty-third part of the entire length 

 of the fish. A smaller specimen, whose earstones are not represented on 

 the plate, measured about 240mm., and its otoliths about 3'5mm. by 3mm. 

 fully. The earstones of this specimen were therefore only about the one 

 sixty-ninth part of the length of the fish. 



These earstones have an obscurely quadrilateral outline, a side and an 

 end being nearly at right angles with each other. The remaining side 

 and end are slightly arched, as shown in the figure. The earstones 

 of the smaller fish just mentioned have also an outline similar to 

 that described. 



Solea variegata, Don. The variegated Sole or Thickback. PI. i. b., figs. 

 35 and 36 ; pi. iv., figs. 28 and 29. 



The earstones of two specimens of this species of sole, nearly of the 

 same size, are shown on pi. i. b., and by figures considerably enlarged on 

 pi. iv. The specimens measured respectively 140mm. and 137mm. in 

 length. Their earstones are flat, almost circular, disks measuring about 

 3mm. across the longer, by nearly 2*5mm. across the shorter diameter. 

 The size of these earstones in proportion to the length of the fish is there- 

 fore greater than that of the black soles mentioned above. 



Solea lutea, Risso. The Solenette. PI. i. b., fig. 37-41 ; pi. iv., figs. 24 

 and 25. 



A number of solenettes have been examined for their earstones, and a 

 few of them are represented among the photographs. These earstones 

 are very small and have little to characterise them except that they are 

 flat, and nearly circular in outline. The size of the different fishes and of 

 their earstones are given in the annexed Table. 



Figure on the 

 Plate. 



Length of the Fish. 



Earstones. 



Length. 



Width. 



37 (pi. i. b. ; pi. \ 

 iv.ifig. 24). J 



38 (pi. i. b. ; pi. \ 

 iv.,fig. 25). / 



39 (pi. i. b.) 

 40 



41 



117mm. 



98mm. 



90mm. 

 76mm. 

 64mm. 



3 •0mm. 



2 '0mm. 



About 2'0mm. 

 1 s7mm. 

 1 '5mm. 



2-2mm. 



1 *5mm. 



l'5mm. 

 l*5mm. 

 1 - 5mm. 



