390 EXAMINATION OF THE PRESENT STATE 
be related to depth of water, and, of course, to nature of bottom, 
Proximity to land is of comparatively little consequence (though 
an isolated bank does not correspond, faunistically, with similar 
soundings not separated from the coast by intervening deep water), 
yet one is tempted to think that many prefer to obtain their ideas 
of the sea from a study of the map rather than the chart. 
The west coast of Ireland and the North Sea present the greatest 
contrast which is to be found within the limits of our own seas, but 
minor physical differences exist between all our districts, such as 
the Channel and the Irish Sea, involving correspondingly minor 
divergences in the habit of the fish which are found there. As we 
are dealing with the North Sea, my remarks must be understood to 
refer to that area. 
With regard to the breeding of fish we may make one tolerably 
sweeping generalisation—viz. that, with the exception of skates, 
herring, and cat-fish (or wolf-fish), all our food-fish propagate by 
means of eggs which float singly at the surface of the water, at 
least for some considerable part of the time during which the embryo 
is developing. Of the more valuable* kinds, all the eggs float up to 
the actual time of hatching, except in the case of the turbot, the 
egos of which seem always to sink some days before hatching takes 
place. 
The turbot, though not a very abundant fish, is distributed 
pretty well all over the North Sea trawling grounds, though scarce 
in the deeper parts, such as the deep water north of the Dogger, 
and on the Fisher Bank, Being a predaceous form, feeding largely 
on herrings, it appears to be somewhat given to migrating in 
pursuit of these fish, and occurs occasionally in considerable numbers: 
on grounds where it is usually by no means plentiful. It is most 
abundant probably on the Continental coast, where a good many 
are always caught in company with the small plaice. Spawning, 
which is carried on chiefly from the latter part of May to the end 
of July and later, does not occur, so far as I know, very close to 
our own coast, but rather on the offshore grounds. On the 
Continental side, however, spawning fish may be found in compara- 
tively shallow water and fairly close inshore,—in fact, on the small 
fish grounds. I do not know that the eggs have ever been recog- 
nised from tow-net gatherings, but very young specimens, from 
about one fifth to three fifths of an inch, have been found swimming 
at the surface of the water a few miles off the coast of Denmark, 
and on the west end of the Dogger Bank in July and August. I 
have not found the immediately succeeding stages in the North Sea, 
* , . . . bd < : 
The egg of the gurnard may, but does not invariably, sink some time before hatching. 
I do not know any other instance, unless the weever can be called a food-fish. 
