480 



BULLETIN OF THE BUEEAU OF FISHERIES 



reported two larval halibut, 20 and 21.5 nun. long, taken close in to the southern 

 coast of Nova Scotia in shoal water, and fishermen's reports of ripe fish suggest 

 that the slopes of all the ofl'shore banks east of Cape Cod serve as spawning grounds. 

 It does not necessarily follow, however, that all are suitable as nurseries. On the 

 contrary halibut smaller than a couple of pounds or so are so extremely rare in the 



Fig. 239.— Larva (European), 16.2 millimeters. After Schmidt 



Fig. 240.— Larva (European), 22 millimeters. After Schmidt 



Fig. 241.— Larva (European), 34 millimeters. After Schmidt 

 HALIBUT (.Bippoglosius hippoglosstts) 



Gulf of Maine (though "chickens" of 10 to 20 pounds are not uncommon there) 

 as to suggest that the maintenance of the local stock depends on immigration from 

 north and east more than on local propagation, and the fact that depletion by hard 

 fishing was not accompanied by a corresponding decrease in the average size of the 

 individual fish taken is further evidence to this effect. In fact, it is even doubtful 



