On the structure of the beak and its muscles in the crossbill / [William Yarrell].

  • Yarrell, William, 1784-1856
Date:
[1829]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: On the structure of the beak and its muscles in the crossbill / [William Yarrell]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    12/20 (page 468)
    return home has confirmed that opinion. No description in our various ichthyological works appearing to agree with this species, I venture to consider it as new to our coast, and shall therefore describe it. In shape it is wider in proportion to its whole length than the common Sole (Solea vulgaris) and it is also somewhat thicker. The specimen measures from the point of the nose to the end of the tail 8 inches, across the widest part of the body, not including the fins, 3 inches, including both fins, 4 inches. In an example of the common Sole obtained for comparison, the whole length of which was 8 inches and the greatest breadth with¬ out the fins was only 2J inches, with the fins included, 3J. The number of rays in the different fins of the two species were D. P. V. A. C. Common Sole. . .84 7 5 67 17 vertebrae 47 New species. ... 81 8 5 69 17 ,, 43 In its general aspect this new Sole, compared with our common species, is much more round and fleshy, the head obtuse, shorter and wider, the mouth arched, the operculum formed externally of a single piece, circu¬ lar in shape and less deep, tip of the pectoral fin black, lateral line straight but not very strongly marked, tail narrower than in the common sort though composed of the same number of rays, the prevailing colours a mixture of orange and light brown, freckled over with small circular spots of very dark brown, giving a mottled appearance to the whole upper surface. The scales also differ both in character and general arrangement. On the under side the appearance is still more characteristic of its distinc¬ tion. The surface of the head is almost smooth, without any of the papillary eminences so remarkable in the common sort, and the nostril is pierced in a prominent tubular projection which is wanting in the other; the under surface white, the appearance of the scales more strongly marked than upon the upper. This species is occasionally taken with the common Sole by trawling over a clear bottom of soft sand, about 16 miles from Brighton. It is but partially known there by the name of Lemon Sole, and the same name is by the fishermen also applied to a species of Pleuronectes, which however has no resemblance to this new fish beyond that of its prevailing yellow colour.