Contributions to British Ichthyology. 527 
together with the ventral and anal fins, are of a dirty white, more or 
less shaded with red, The pectoral fins are of a deep blue colour, par- 
ticularly on the inner surface. The first dorsal fin commences in a 
vertical line over the base of the pectorals, and terminates at the 
origin of the second dorsal, which runs down the back to within 1| 
inch of the base of the tail. The anal fin commences under the second 
ray of the last dorsal, and ends at a little behind the termination of 
the same fin. The pectorals are rather large, a little longer than the 
ventrals, and reaching as far as the second ray of the anal. The first 
ray of the anterior dorsal fin is spinous, about 1 inch in length, 
not half the length of the second, which is setaceous as well as the 
third. The fourth ray is spinous, as well as the remainder of the rays 
of that fin. The anterior rays of the second dorsal fin are longer 
than the terminating ones ; the tail is lunated, with each extremity 
of equal length. 
The numbers of the fin rays are : 
1st D. 9; 2d D. 17 ; P. 12; and 3 free ; A. 18; C. 9; V. 6. 
The head is one-fifth the length of the whole fish. On each side, 
a little below the lateral line, is a broad light metallic band, ex- 
tending from the operculum to the base of the tail. The lateral line 
is smooth, broad, and slightly elevated, composed of a series of semi- 
circular plates, beautifully radiated at their free border. The dor- 
sal ridge is formed of twenty-four sharp serrated plates, extending 
from the first to the last dorsal ray. The scapular spines are very 
short. The eyes moderate ; two spines situated at the upper and 
anterior margin of each orbit. The snout slightly dentated and ra- 
ther blunt at its extremity. Body smooth ; scales oval and entire ; 
the air-bladder is bilobed, with the coats remarkably thick and 
opaque. In none of the specimens could I find any appearance 
of roe. 
This fish can be readily distinguished from every other species of 
the same genus yet known, by the form and arrangement of the la- 
teral plates, and by the elongated second ray of the first dorsal fin, 
which, when folded down, reaches beyond the sixth ray of the se- 
cond dorsal fin. 
2. MONOCHIRUS MINUTUS. 
This species of Sole is undoubtedly an addition to our British Fauna, 
and seems unknown to Cuvier, Brunner, Bloch, Risso, or to any 
other author whom I have consulted ; but how far it is new to science 
remains to be determined by future research. Perhaps I may have 
