THE TURBOT AND HOLIBUT. 423 



ISIeditorranean, and the Atlantic Ocean. As its form indicates the 

 I>oree is by no means rapid in its movements ; it wanders leisurely 

 through the deep waters, often drifting with the current, though it car., 

 douhtless, exert itself vigorously enough when prompted by its appetite. 

 It is bitid to follow the shoals of Pilchards on which it preys ; it also de- 

 vours aiaall Cuttle-fish. It is taken principally in Autumn aud Winter. 



• OF THE FLAT-FISH IN GENERAL. 



The present tribe comprehends those fish that are usually denomi- 

 nated ILVfish; such as the Turbot, Plaise, Flounder, Sole, &c. 

 These are generally confined to the muddy or sandy banks of the 

 eea, where they have the power of burying themselves, as far as the 

 head, for che purpose of escaping the devastations, of the more 

 rapacious iiibes. They seldom rise far from the bottom, since, from 

 the want of an air-bladder to buoy them up, which most of the other 

 fishes posseto, they are compelled to use their pectoral fins for this 

 purpose, in tiomewhat the same manner as birds use their wings to 

 rise in the a.r ; and this is not done without considerable exertion. 

 Here, therefoie, they generally swim, with their bodies in an oblique 

 position, and feed on such aquatic animals as come in their way. 



^lany of them as the Holibut, Turbot, and some others, grow to a 

 large size. The eyes of the whole tribe are situated on one side of 

 the head. It is a curious circumstance, that, while the under parts of 

 their body are of a brilliant white, the upper parts are so colored and 

 speckled, as, when they were half immersed, in the sand or mud, to 

 render them almost imperceptible. Of this resemblance they are so 

 conscious, that whenever they find themselves in danger, they sink 

 into the mud, and the^e continue motionless. This is a circumstance so 

 well known to fishermen, that within their palings on the strand they are 

 often under the necessity, of tracing furrows with a kind of iron sickle 

 in order to direct by the touch, what they are not otherwise able to 

 distinguish. Not being rapacious, nor furnished with any weapons 

 of defence, these fishes owe their security to this stratagem ; while the 

 Thornback and Raj^s, which are carnivorous, and armed with strong 

 spines, although Flat-fish of a different class, are marbled with lighter 

 colors, that they may be perceived and avoided by less powerful fish. 



THE TURBOT, AND HOLTBUT. 



The northern parts of the English coast, and some places off the 

 coast of Holland, afford Turbots in greater abundance, and in greater 

 excellence, than any other parts of the world. Lying here, however, 

 in deep waters, they are seldom to be caught but by lines. 



In fishing for Turbot off the Yorkshire coast, three men go out in 

 each of the boats, each man furnished with three lines, and every line 

 having two hundred and eighty hooks, placed exactly six feei two 

 inches asunder. These are coiled on an oblong piece of wicker-work, 

 with the hooks baited and placed very regularly in the centre of t-b© 



