FOURTEEN TELEOSTEAN FISHES AT BEAUFORT, N. C. 
477 
The fish is readily recognized by its tongue shape from which it derives its com- 
mon name. The dorsal and anal fins are continuous with the caudal; pectorals are 
wanting in the adult; and the single ventral that is present is situated on the ventral 
edge, slightly in advance of the anal. The skin is very tough and slimy. The slime 
makes the fish very slippery and difficult to hold with the hand. It is thought that 
the abundance of slime and the toughness of the skin may serve the fish as protection 
against enemies 
The literature, as far as known to us, contains almost nothing concerning the 
habits and life historv of this sole. 
SPAWNING 
Ripe fish have not been observed at Beaufort, nor have the eggs been taken, 
or if taken they at least have not been identified. Eggs removed from a ripe, or nearly 
ripe, tonguefish, taken in Chesapeake Bay on July 26, 1916, have been examined by 
the present writers. Several different sizes are present, indicating that the eggs are 
not all cast at one time. The ova before spawning are round, and the largest ones 
in the specimen examined were only about one-half millimeter in diameter. 
Although ripe fish were not observed nor eggs obtained, the spawning season 
nevertheless has been quite accurately determined by the collection of the fry. 
During nearly four years, townet collections were made quite consistently at about 
weekly intervals, with the result that tonguefish fry (5 millimeters and under in 
length) were taken from the last week of May to the first week of October. The larvae 
were taken more frequently and in larger numbers in June than at any other time. 
It may be concluded therefore, that the spawning season extends from May to October 
and that it probably is at its height in June. From the distribution of the young, as 
explained on page 481, it seems rather certain that nearly all spawning takes place 
at sea. 
DEVELOPMENT OF YOUNG 
The development of young flatfishes always is interesting. The stages of the 
tonguefish described and figured in these pages are believed to be complete and com- 
prehensive enough, except for one missing stage, to give the reader a fair idea of the 
development from a recently hatched larva, only about 2 millimeters long, until the 
fish virtually acquires all the characters of the adult. 
Specimens 2.0 millimeters long . — The body is very deep anteriorly, the caudal 
portion is comparatively long and tapers posteriorly, ending in a rather sharp point. 
The forehead is high, with a slight concavity above the eyes. The chin is deep and 
strongly angled. The abdomen is large and protrudes downward prominently and 
the coils of the alimentary canal are visible in preserved specimens through the thin 
walls. The mouth is large, oblique, and extremely close to the relatively large eye. 
Over the head, or at the occiput, are two long filaments. The notochord is visible 
almost throughout the length of the body as a pale streak. The pigment present 
consists of three slightly elongated dark spots situated on the back, over the middle 
part of the body, and in some specimens a dark line is evident on the ventral edge 
of the caudal portion at the base of the fin fold. At this size the body externally is 
entirely symmetrical, the eyes being opposite and equally distant from the mouth. 
(Fig. 91.) 
The strongly protruding visceral mass and the large oblique mouth placed very 
close to the eye are outstanding characters. However, the most evident recognition 
mark is furnished by two long filaments on the median line of the occiput. These 
2698—30 7 
