GEN. RHOMBUS. THE TURBOT. 233 



(Sp. 176.) R. maximus. Turbot. This muck 

 valued fish, and the other species of the same genus 

 most nearly related to it, B. 'oulgaris^ have the body 

 nearly of a circular shape, if we exclude the tail 

 and snout, for the depth is equal to the length from 

 the nose to the fleshy portion of the tail. It may 

 at once be known by this rhomboido-circular shape^ 

 in connexion with the prominent osseous tubercles 

 with which both sides of the body, and particularly 

 the upper or coloured side, are studded. 



If we trace the Turbot from our most northern 

 shores southward, it will be found gradually to in- 

 crease in numbers, till we reach the eastern coasts 

 of England, on many of which it occurs in large 

 quantities. Among the Shetland islands it is sel- 

 dom seen, and it is also rare among the Orkneys^ 

 " insomuch," says Low, " that in these seven years 

 I have but seen two or three specimens." In the 

 Dornoch and Moray Firths, Turbot are occasionally 

 taken, but they are said to be of small size. At 

 the mouth of the Firth of Forth they begin to ap^ 

 pear in some plenty, in sufficient quantities indeed 

 to afford a very good supply to the Edinburgh 

 markets ; and here also they attain their full dimen- 

 sions, specimens firom twenty to thirty pounds weight 

 being not unfrequently taken. On the coasts of Ber>- 

 wick, Northumberland, Durham, and York, Turbot 

 fisheries have been long carried on, in some places 

 on an extensive scale. Two extensive banks of 

 3and, named the Yarne and Ridge, the former seven, 

 the latter twelve miles from Dover, are much frer 



