FISHES OF NEW YORK 715 



long, its length contained three and three fourths times in total 

 length without caudal; mouth large, the maxillary reaching to 

 below middle of orbit; eyes large, separated by a very broad, 

 flattish area; lower eye slightly in advance. D. 105; A. 78; P. 

 19; V. 6. 



Color, nearly uniform dark brown; blind side white. 



The halibut lives in all northern seas, ranging southward to 

 Sandy Hook, or beyond, and occasionally to the Farallones off 

 San Francisco. 



The halibut was described by both Mitchill and De Kay under 

 its present name. De Kay says that the capture of the halibut 

 on the shores of Nantucket at one time afforded employment to 

 80 vessels of from 60 to 80 tons each. He says the fish is very 

 voracious, swimming near the ground and devouring other flat 

 fishes as well as shells and crustaceans. It occurs on both shores 

 of the Atlantic as also in the north Pacific, migrating south on 

 the approach of spring and returning in June or July. An indi- 

 vidual was found some years ago near Colonial Beach, in the 

 Potomac river. The fish grows to the length of 8 feet or more, 

 and the weight of several hundred pounds. It is a very valuable 

 food fish. In the Pacific, according to Jordan and Evermann, it 

 extends its range southward to the Farallones, off San Francisco. 



The halibut was formerly not very uncommon in Vineyard 

 sound, where it is now very rare. In 1872 and 1873, V. N. 

 Edwards caught a number weighing 235 or 240 pounds while 

 fishing for cod. Ap. 16, 1900, a halibut weighing 100 pounds was 

 caught off Block island by cod fishermen, and was taken to New- 

 port. The fish was very abundant at one time in Massachusetts 

 bay, but is now found chiefly in depths of 100 to 250 fathoms on 

 the slopes of the outer banks. In August 1878 a halibut weigh- 

 ing over 200 pounds was caught in Gloucester harbor. 



Genus hippoglossoides Gottsche 

 Eyes and color on the right side (except sometimes in H. 

 elassodon, a Pacific species); body oblong, moderately com- 

 pressed; mouth rather large, with one row of sharp teeth on 

 each jaw; no teeth on vomer or palatines; gill rakers rather 



