PLATE XC 
inconspicuous, the skin appearing entirely smooth. — The tail t® 
rounded, which distinguishes it sufficiently from P. Lunatus, the 
latter having the tail lunated ; — and the smoothness of the tongue 
removes it from P. Japonicus, in which the tongue is rough. The 
other fpecies are too remote to require comparison. 
Should either of those dissimilar circumstances be attributed to the 
immaturity of our fish, in which the true character of the species might 
be supposed to be not entirely disclosed, there are one or two other par- 
ticulars in which it differs so materially as to silence every doubt ; this is 
the protrusion of the head, and situation of the left eye, the head being 
much further advanced than in either of the above mentioned fishes, 
and the left eye most singularly placed in the middle of the lateral 
edge or forehead. In a swimming position, therefore, as shewn in 
the figure, representing the lower surface, this eye appears nearly 
veitical, and from its situation, a very slight inclination of the body 
is sufficient to give the fish a perfect view of the objects on both side* 
of It, while its appearance directly in front, or when viewed on the 
lower sui face, conveys precisely the idea we have of a Cyclops ani- 
mal. So singularly different is this from the rest of the pleuro- 
ncctes that it seems to militate even against the character of the ge- 
nus, which requires that both the eyes should be placed on one 
side : we vVere almost tempted, from this consideration, to consti- 
tute a new genus of this curious fish. 
Owing to the elongation of the head and subverticaf situation 
of the left eye, the commencement of he dorsal fin takes place be- 
hind the eye, a character of itself sufficient to remove it from either of 
the fiflies above mentioned; for in all of those, the dorsal fin com- 
mences close to the upper jaw-, and is, in fact, in a greater or les» 
degree, connected with it. Tliis is fully exemplified in the Turbot 
