THK AMERICAN SOLES. 177 



In 1854 Professor Baird made a careful exploration til' Ili<- coast of New .Jersey witli a special 

 reference to the fishes, and since tliat time every stretch of coast line from Jirou usville. Texas, to 

 Kastport, Maine, lias been thoroughly investigated by the officers of the Knitcd States Fish Com- 

 mission. It is true that a new species of fish is occasionally discovered, hut the new fishes always 

 belong to one or two classes. These are either s\vilt swimming species, members of the West 

 India fauna, which come upon our northern shores in summer, or they are inhabitants of waters 

 more than six hundred feet deep, which have never previously been explored. The Turbot and 

 the Sole are shallow-water species, and, had they occurred iu our waters, would have been discov- 

 ered many years ago. 



There are twenty-six species of flat fishes on the east coast of the Uuited States. Four of 

 these belong to the same family with the Sole, but are utterly worthless as articles of food. The 

 nearest relative of the Sole is often called the American Sole, Ackirus U neat us, and is known on 

 the coast of New Jersey as the Hog-choker, Cover-clip, or Cover. Of the other flat fishes only 

 two are positively unfit for food, and these two, strangely enough, are the representatives of the 

 subfamily Rhombina;, to which belong the Turbot and Brill of Europe. One of these, Lophopscttn 

 macttlota, is sometimes called the Spotted Turbot, and iu New Jersey is called Window-paue, or 

 Daylight, because it is so thin that when held to the light the sun can be seen through its 

 translucent flesh. 



The most important Flat Fish is the Halibut, which is identical with that of Europe. This 

 species, and the Pole Flounder, which, has recently been brought to light in our waters by 

 the Fish Commission, are the only two of the number referred to that are found on both sides of 

 the Atlantic. We have in our waters an abundance of flat fishes, some of which, for instance, the 

 common Flounder of the New York market, Paralichthys dentatus, are probably fully equal to 

 the Turbot for food uses. In fact, it may be had in the New York restaurants and hotels under 

 this name. Another fish, Platysomatichthyx hippoglossoidex, resembling the Turbot iu flavor, is 

 sometimes brought to New York in winter. It is found at great depths on the coast of Newfound- 

 land, and is often called the American or the Newfoundland Turbot. The Pole Flounder is 

 very similar to the Sole in flavor and in the texture of its flesh, but it unfortunately inhabits some- 

 what inaccessible localities at great depths, and it is hardly to be expected that, with the present 

 supply of excellent food-fish to be obtained at so much smaller expense, our fishermen will take the 

 pains to go in search of it. That the popular taste for flat fish is already cultivated is shown by 

 the fact that, in 1879, 1,796,000 pounds were sold in New York alone. 



It is needless to refer to the efforts of the United States Fish Commission to introduce Sole; 

 they are familiar to all who are interested in the subject. The introduction of the trawl-net has 

 been for many years under consideration, but this expensive mode of fishing does not seem to be 

 required at present, since the supply of fine-flavored food-fishes is more than equal to the demand. 

 With an eye to the interest of the American fishermen, Professor Baird has recently detailed an 

 attache of the Fish Commission, one of the most experienced fishermen of Massachusetts, to study 

 the trawl fishery in the German Ocean, and his report will soon be published. 



Finally, it may not be amiss to state that Mr. E. G. Blackford, of Fulton Market, New York, 

 has for some time been authorized by the Commissioner of Fisheries to pay twenty-five dollars to 

 any one who should present a true Turbot or a true Sole, caught on this coast. This offer is still 

 standing. ' 



1 Forest and Stream, xv, No. 6, September 9, 1880, pp. 103, 104. 

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