Contributions to British Ichthyology. 
been misled by the laconic style of these writers on Ichthyology ; 
but I will endeavour, by more ample description, to remove it in 
future beyond the reach of doubt. From the numbers of these 
fishes which are taken in the trawl-nets off Brixham throughout 
the whole year, and from their never appearing to attain a large size, 
there can belittle doubt but that they are arrived at their full growth, 
from which circumstance I have proposed the specific name of " mi- 
nutus" The fishermen, who appear perfectly familiar with their 
appearance, call them red soles, and scarcely a trawl boat leaves 
Brixham harbour that does not capture a dozen or more of these fish 
daily ; but, from their diminutive size, they are either thrown over- 
board, or left to decay at the bottom of the vessels. 
Generic character. Pectoral fin on the eye side very small, that 
on the opposite side rudimentary. (Monochirus, Cuvier.) 
Specific character. Every sixth or seventh ray of the dorsal and 
anal fin, black. 
Description. Length 5 inches ; the width at the upper third 
nearly 2 inches ; the colour of the back light reddish brown, the 
under surface pale white. In shape it is similar to the common 
sole (Solea vttlgaris) but of a more wedge-shaped form, becoming 
narrower at the caudal extremity. The head is small, one-sixth of 
the whole length ; the mouth is twisted, the angle of which reaches 
as far as under the middle of the left eye. Each jaw is furnished 
with a number of minute teeth placed close together, and extending 
but half-way round the mouth ; the eyes are small, the left one a 
little in advance. The dorsal fin commences immediately over the 
upper lip and runs down the back, to be connected with the caudal 
rays ; the anal fin begins under the posterior margin of the opercu- 
lum, and continues within a short interval of the tail. The num- 
bers of the fin rays are : 
D. 73; P. 4; V. 4; A. 54; C. 14. 
The scales are small, with from twelve to fifteen denticles at their 
free extremity, rendering the whole surface of the fish rough to 
the touch, when the finger is passed from the tail to the head. 
The pectoral fin on the eye side is small with the lower half black, 
while the fin on the opposite side is very minute, and of a pale 
white ; the lateral line is straight throughout ; the tail is rounded 
at the end, and mottled with brown. 
The only fish the present one seems likely to be confounded with 
is the Monochirus lingula, or red-backed sole ; but they will be 
found to differ widely from one another. In the red-backed sole 
