162 
BRILL. 
form is more oval, and consequently is somewhat longer in 
proportion to its breadth : the dimensions being that the breadth 
of the body is contained one and two thirds in the length, 
excluding the caudal fin, and the length of the head three 
times and a third. It may be also distinguished from this only 
other British species, with which it might be confounded by 
having a slight covering of scales on the coloured surface; but 
especially by not having bony tubercles, such as are scattered 
over the skin of the Turbot. The gape is large, the angle of 
the mouth depressed, mystache rather wide, reaching fully back 
to the lowermost eye; under jaw protruded, with a chin; teeth 
in the jaws and palate. The lowermost eye in advance of the 
upper; hindmost gilheover passing a little over the root of the 
pectoral fin. Body and cheeks covered with scales; lateral line 
arched over the pectoral. The dorsal fin begins in front of 
the eyes, and but little above the snout, the rays stout, fleshy, 
and at first passing beyond the membrane, with from seventy 
to eighty rays; pectoral nearly round; ventral near the throat, 
with five rays, but this fin on the lower side passes behind 
the upper, so as to appear joined to the anal; the latter ends 
opposite the dorsal, near the tail; tJiis last-named fin round. 
The general colour of this fish is deep brown, mottled with 
deeper brown, and irregularly dotted over with white specks; 
and 1 have seen an example intensely black, with a few white 
specks on the anal fin. Like others of this family, the lower 
side is sometimes coloured like the upper, and in some instances 
only a portion is so coloiu’ed. 
