SOLE. 



347 



SUBBRACHIAL 



MALACOPTERYCH. PLEURONECTIDJE. 



THE SOLE. 



Solea vulgaris, La Sole, CUVIER, Regne An. t. ii. p. 342, 



,, ,, A Sole, MF.RUETT, Pinax, p. 187. 



Buglossus sen Solea, Sole, WILLUGHBY, p. 100, F. 7. 



Pteuronectes Solea, LINNJEUS. BLOCH, pt. ii. pi. 45. 



,, ,, ,, PENN. Brit. Zool. vol. iii. p. 311. 



,, ,, Common Sole, DON. Brit. Fish. pi. 62. 



Solea vulgar is, Sole, FI.EM. Brit. An. p. 197, sp. 101. 



,, ,, ,, JENYNS, Brit. Vert. p. 466. 



SOLEA. Generic Characters. Both eyes and colour on the right side ; the 

 mouth distorted on the side opposite the eyes ; small teeth in both jaws, but con- 

 fined to the under side only, none on the same side as the eyes ; form of the 

 body oblong ; dorsal and anal fins extend to the tail. 



THE common Sole is so universally known as to reqnire 

 only a particular notice of those points in its economy that 

 are the least obvious. It inhabits the sandy shore all round 

 our coast, where it keeps close to the bottom, feeding on the 

 smaller testaceous animals, and the spawn and fry of other 

 fishes. It is taken among the Orkneys, and along the north- 

 east coast ; but it is of small comparative size : the Soles of 

 the south and west arc much larger, and considered otherwise 

 superior to those of the north and cast. 



