ON THE ECONOMICAL USES OF FISHES. 193 



times occurs in such extraordinary abundance that 

 Mr. Yarrell has kno^^^l great quantities of plaice, 

 averaging three pounds weight each, to be sold at 

 one penny per dozen, it is caught in trawl-nets, 

 whenever such can be used. On the Norwegian 

 coasts, where the sea is remarkably transparent, this 

 fish is often taken of very large size by a short 

 spear with a line attached, which is dropped down 

 upon them, and not only the plaice, but many other 

 kinds of flat-fish are thus secured. 



The mud-flounder, P.Jlesus^ is another very com- 

 mon fish, although much inferior in quality to the 

 preceding. Sandy or muddy bays, or inlets, but 

 especially brackish water at the mouth of rivers, 

 which it sometimes ascends a considerable way dur- 

 ing floods, produce this fish in the greatest abun- 

 dance, and its capture is attended with little or no 

 difficulty, as hardly any kind of bait will come amiss 

 \o it. In the Thames, vast numbers are caught in 

 nets of a peculiar kind, so constructed as to enclose 

 and secure all the fish within a limited space. 



We now pass on to one which sometimes attains 

 an enormous size, it is even said that three or four 

 hundred pounds is no very unusual weight for the 

 fish in question. It is the halibut, Hippoglossus vul- 

 garis^ but unfortunately this large fish is not much 

 esteemed, " its flesh," according to good authority, 

 " though white and firm, is dry, the muscular fibre 

 coarse, with but little flavour," and, stiange to say, 

 *' the head and fins are said to be the best parts." This 

 fish is more common farther to the north than in 



N 



