196 
MALACOPTERYGII. 
D. 78 ; A. 62 (spine not counted) ; C. 18 ; P. 11 on each side ; Y. 6 ; 
D. commencing above middle of eye. 
March 15th, 1837. I bought a dab in Belfast market. 
Its length is 10^ inches. 
D. 74; A. 60 (spine not counted) ; P. 12 (on each side) ; Y. 6 ; C. 18 
(in all). 
Before the A. fin is a short strong spine ; P. on upper side considerably 
longer than on under. 
Both sides rough throughout. 
“ Teeth sharp, a little distance from each other.” Jen. p. 456. 
Colour, entire upper side, including D., A., and C. fins, brown, of different 
shades begrimed with black ; on these fins and in some parts of the body 
many inconspicuous roundish spots of a brownish orange over the body, 
similar to what I have remarked on Pleuronectes Flesus ; P. fin brownish 
orange. 
Eye, pupil dark blue, irides golden, a little obscured by brown. 
On dissection it proved a female, the ova extremely minute. 
Its stomach contained fragments of one of the bivalve shells, Solen 
(neither of the 2 smaller species), and of corallines, amongst which Ser- 
tularia dichotoma was apparent. 
The Lemon Dab, or Smooth Dab,* Platessa microcephala, Elem., 
Is occasionally taken around the coast, but not in large numbers on any 
part of it. 
I noticed it as an addition to our Fauna in the Zool. Proc. 1835, p. 81, 
but subsequently learned that it had been known to Templeton. (See his 
Catalogue afterwards published.) It is occasionally brought from the 
coasts of Down and Antrim to Belfast market, at all seasons, but espe- 
cially in spring, and is to my taste a much better fish than plaice, although 
not just so good as sole, nor so sweet as the dab. 
Small specimens are sometimes taken in the dredge in Belfast Bay : 
one of these, 7^ inches in length, thus obtained on 3rd Oct., 1846, did not 
exceed inches in breadth of body between the bases of the dorsal and 
anal fins at any part. This specimen I preserved to show the elongate 
form of the immature fish. Dr. It. Ball has rarely seen specimens from 
the coasts of Dublin and Cork. Mr. M‘Calla notes it as a Connemara fish, 
but scarce. 
March 3rd, 1835. In Belfast market I obtained a specimen of this fish 
which was taken near Killough (County Down), length 13^ inches. 
D. 93; P. 9 ; V. 5; A. 76 ; C. 19 (reckoning side rays, comprising in 
all 4 ?) ; B. 4, I can only reckon. 
This specimen is free from spots, as Donovan describes ; it is obscurely 
marked on the upper side and on D., A., and C. fins with many different 
shades of brown and grey and dull yellow ; the orange stripe round the 
base of operculum, as figured by Donovan, is very conspicuous. 
It proved with roe, on dissection. Irides very pale yellow, much clouded 
with brown. 
March 17 th, 1835. I bought another example in Belfast market, which 
was taken at Ardglass. Its length is 16 inches. B. 4? D. 93; P. 9; Y. 
5 ; A. 76 ; C. 19 in all. Irides as above. Colour as above ; under side 
white in both specimens, and not spotted after the manner described by 
* In Belfast market this fish is called Lemon sole, which is said to be the 
name given to it at Bath; — French sole at Youghal. 
