228 
The Hiflory c/ANIMALS, 
PleuroneBesoculis a fatijlra^ linea later alt utrinque aculeata : 
The PleuroneBes , with the eyes on the left fide y and the lateral line prickly 
on both fdes . 
This is a moderately large fpecies: the head is fmall 5 the opening of the mouth 
fmall j the eyes are protuberant, and the noftrils are fmall, but each has two apertures ; 
the teeth are obtufe, and feem a kind of bony granules j and the eyes are on the left lide 
of the head, not as ufual on the right: the general length of the fifh is about ten 
inchesj the upper or right fide is of a dufky brown, the under or left fide is white: 
the lateral line is prickly on both fides; on the left fide there are feventy-one prickles* 
and on the right fifty-eight: the back firnhas fixty-fix rays 5 the pinna ani has fifty \ 
the pectoral ones have each nine, and the ventral ones fix. 
We have this in abundance in our feas. Ariftotle calls it «, ; i£Han and Oppian 
ufe the fame name. Ovid and all the old Latin writers cal] it Pafler 5 Paulus Jovius, 
Rhombus j Gefner calls it Rhombus Bellonii } and moft other writers. Rhombus acu- 
leatus. 
PleuroneBes cor pore oblongo , fquam?nis utrinque afperis . 
The long-bodied PleuroneBes, with rough fcales on both fdes . 
%l)l 
This is of an uncommon figure for a fifh of this genus; it is of an oblong fhape, 
tending to elliptic, but fmaller at each end, and is thin, in proportion to it’s extent, 
though confiderably broad : it’s ufual length is from five or fix to fourteen inches, 
and it’s breadth not nearly half it’s length : the head is obtufe, and the mouth fmall; 
the upper jaw is longer than the under, and the eyes are on the left fide3 the mouth, 
though fmall, is fomed in a lingular and odd manner, and is very deep cut 3 the eyes are 
not protuberant, and are placed at a greater diftance than in mod: other fpecies. 
The teeth are very numerous; they are fmall, flender, and moveable, and are placed 
in feveral feries in the fauces 3 there are two roundifh and large bones in the upper 
part, and two other fmaller on the lower, which are more oblong; thefe are all befefc 
with teeth $ and there are a great number of fhort white hairs, as it were, above and 
below the mouth, on the white fide of the body, but there are none of thefe on the 
other: one fide of the body, which is the uppermoft in fwimming, is of a hoary, 
brownifh colour 3 the other is of a pure and elegant white : the lateral line is very 
ftraight, and is nearer the back than the belly 5 but it is continued to the head itfelf, 
and there, above the gills, it rifes perpendicularly: the fcales are fquare, but fome- 
what oblong ; they are fmall, whitifh in colour, and have feveral little fpinulae at the 
extremity 5 thefe cover the white as well as the brown fide of the body. 
The anus of this fifh is very odly fituated 5 it is between the ventral fins, juft at the 
opercula of the gills: the lateral fins are very fmall3 one of them is white, the other 
is often half-way black3 they have each eight or nine bones or rays: the ventral fins 
ftand very forward3 they have only five rays each, and are very fmall : the back fin 
reaches from the head to the tail, and has ninety-one rays5 thefe are inclined toward 
the tail, and there are often fome black fpots on the membranes of thefe fins: the 
pinna ani is very remarkably long, it runs from the anus to the tail3 it has feventy-four 
rays; and both this and the back fin are, in part, inverted with fcales, which all turn 
toward the tail5 there are no tubercles at the bafes of the fins: the tail is fomewhat 
oblong, but it is rounded at the end, and has fourteen rays. 
This is frequent in moft of the European Seas, and is defervedly in great efteem at 
our tables5 the antients were as well acquainted with it as we are, and valued it as 
much. Athenasus calls it Bayxoinr®* • Oppian, B vy\o<r<rm ■ Ovid, Pliny, and moft of the 
other Latin writers, Solea 3 Rondelet calls it Bugloffus 3 Yarro, Linguacula 3 and moft 
of the other writers, Bugloffus five Solea. 
PleuroneBes 
