Suborder Heterosomata 497 



certainly known from American waters, although numerous in 

 Europe and Asia. The species have much in common with 

 the plaice tribe of flounders and may be derived from the same 

 stock. One species, as above noted, is found in the Miocene. 



The common sole of Europe, Solea solea, is one of the best 

 of food-fishes, reaching a length, according to Dr. Gill, of twenty- 

 six inches and a weight of nine pounds. As usually seen in 

 the markets it rarely exceeds a pound. It is found from Nor- 

 way to Italy, and when properly cooked is very tender and 

 delicate, superior to any of the flounders. According to Dr. 

 Francis Day, it appears to prefer sandy or gravelly shores, 

 but is rather uncertain in its migrations, for, although mostly 

 appearing at certain spots almost at a given time, and usually 

 decreasing in numbers by degrees, in other seasons they dis- 

 appear at once, as suddenly as they arrive. Along the British 

 seacoast they retire to the deep as frosts set in, revisiting the 

 shallows about May if the weather is warm, their migrations 

 being influenced by temperature. The food of the sole is to a 

 considerable extent molluscous, but it is also said to eat the 

 eggs and fry of other fishes and sea-urchins 



The spawning season is late in the year and during the 

 spring months. The ova are in moderate number; a sole of 

 one pound weight has, according to Buckland, about 134,000 

 eggs. The newly hatched, according to Dr. Day, da not appear 

 to be commonly found so far out at sea as some other species. 

 They enter into shallow water at the edge of the tide and are 

 very numerous in favorable localities. 



As is well known, the sole is one of the most esteemed 

 of European fishes. In the words of Dr. Day, " the flesh of this 

 fish is white, firm, and of excellent flavor, those from the deepest 

 waters being generally preferred. Those on the west coast 

 and to the south are larger, as a rule, than those towards the 

 north of the British islands. In addition to its use as food, 

 it is available for another purpose. The skin is used for fining 

 coffee, being a good substitute for isinglass, and also as a 

 material for artificial baits. 



"The markets are generally supplied by the trawl. The 

 principal English trawling-ground lies from Dover to Devonshire. 

 They may be taken by spillers, but are not commonly captured 



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