THE FLAT-FISHES 237 



that about ten years ago some five hundred soles were con- 

 veyed from English waters to St. Andrews Bay by Professor 

 Mcintosh, under the auspices of the Scotch Fishery Board, 

 and the Professor is able to say that both the adult sole and 

 the egg have been more frequently encountered on that part 

 of the Scotch coast since this experiment was made. 



The French Sole (.S". lascaris), otherwise Sand Sole or 

 Lemon Sole,* is recognised by the greater development of 

 the front nostril on the under side, as well as by the fringe 

 of filaments adorning its edge. The scales are somewhat 

 larger than in the sole and similarly grow on the fin-rays. 

 These are fewer than in the sole. In colour the French sole 

 is lemon-yellow, with brown and black spots. It does not 

 grow as large as the sole, the longest on record being 

 14 in. 



Although the French sole occurs in the waters of Scotland, 

 it is to be regarded rather as a southern fish, commonest, so far 

 as our coasts go, in the English Channel. It occurs also 

 in the Mediterranean. 



Its eggs and larvae have not apparently been described. 



The Thickback {S. variegatd) is a red fish with five dark 

 bands on the body, the bands extending to the fins and being 

 darkest at their extremities. The pectoral fins are much 

 smaller than in the foregoing. The teeth are very small. 

 It grows to a length of 8 or 9 in. 



This fish, the " bastard sole " of some ports in the 

 Channel, is excellent eating, though small. It Is a southern 

 form, extending to the Mediterranean, but not known in our 

 more northern waters. In the Plymouth district, on the off- 

 shore grounds, it is by no means uncommon, but it is not 

 trawled in shallow water. Cunningham describes the egg as 

 measuring rather over -^ in., and differing from that of the 

 sole by the larger size and different distribution of the oil- 

 globules. He figures the larva, which measures rather less 

 * See also Lemon dab, p. 223. 



