THE FLAT-FISHES 229 



following, and were then no longer than the others that 

 had been removed in October. 



The Turbot {Rhombus maximus) has incidentally been 

 referred to in describing the brill. It has no scales, but in 

 their place rough tubercles, and in some examples, those 

 particularly from the Norwegian coasts, these extend to the 

 uncoloured side. The body is also broader than that of 

 the brill, and the eyes are proportionately smaller. The 

 colour is somewhat lighter, and spots are numerous and 

 conspicuous even after death. Colour protection is admirably 

 illustrated in the turbot, and the writer has seen small examples 

 lying in the shallow, calm water under Bournemouth Pier 

 in July and August which could scarcely be distinguished 

 until something disturbed them. The turbot has much 

 fewer fin-rays than the brill. The recorded largest examples 

 somewhat exceed the measurements of those of the brill, a 

 female of 28 in. being given in Dr. Fulton's fishery reports. 

 Like the brill, this fish is plentiful in the Mediterranean and 

 on our coasts, but is not found in the northernmost waters 

 of Europe. 



The turbot feeds on other fish, chiefly sand-eels, though 

 pout and small flat-fishes are also eaten, while Cunningham 

 mentions boar-fish. Nothing but fish has been found in 

 examinations of the turbot's stomach ; but the writer has 

 caught several on mussel bait, though sand-eel was always 

 considered preferable when it could be had. 



The spawning-time of the turbot is between April and 

 July, inclusive, and the number of eggs in a large female 

 of 21 lb. has been calculated at upwards of ten millions. 

 The egg measures -^ in., which is small, considering that 

 the flounder lays an egg of the same size. It has a single 

 vellow oil-globule. 



The egg has been known to hatch out in nine days 

 after fertiHsing ; and the larva measures about y^ in., and 

 has reddish yellow spots. It is very active, darting about 



