187 



SMEAR DAB. 



LEMON DAB, LEMON SOLE. QUEEN. SMOOTH DAB. 



A Kitt, JAGO; in Bay's Synopsis Piscium; bixt by 



this name Jago only meant to say that 

 this is allied to the Bi-ill, which fish is 

 called Kitt, or Kite, in Cornwall. 

 Pleuronecte limandelle, LACEFEDE. ? 



Platessa micro cephalus, FLEMING; British Animals, p. 198. 



" " JENYNS; Manual, p. 457. 



" " YARRELL; British Fishes, vol. ii, p. 309. 



Pleuronectes microcephalus, DONOVAN ; pi. 42, but the head not well 



expressed. 

 GUNTHER; Cat. Br. Museum, vol. iv, p. 447. 



THIS fish appears to have much of the habits of the Dab, 



and is equally common round the British Islands, except towards 



the more northern parts. 'I learn, however, from Mr. Iverach, 



of Kirk wall, that he has known it taken in Orkney in July; 



but it is less frequently caught with a hook: a circumstance 



little to be wondered at when we examine its mouth, which 



is so small that in the lesser examples it seems difficult to 



imagine how any but a minute object can be admitted into 



it. It is frequently caught with the trawl, and has a good 



repute for the table. The ground it frequents is for the most 



part stony; and it goes far to the north, as well as through 



the Baltic. It is prepared for spawning early in February, 



and appears to be among the most prolific of flatfishes; the 



lobes of roe being large, and extending back from the small 



abdominal cavity, compressed but wide, almost, to the tail. 



The stomach and bowels are of slight texture, but the latter 



are large, and it is probable that the usual food is either 



vegetable or of the smaller sea insects, ( ' Entromostraca.j 



