SOLE. 201 



with the trawl, from Avhich, because of its form, this species 

 has less powers of escape than most others of this family. 

 Perhaps also this fish suffers less injury from this mode of 

 capture, on account of the manner in which it moves; and yet 

 we arc informed that in the year 1832, there were condemned 

 at Billingsgate, as unfit for food, twenty-four thousand six 

 hundred Soles; with of Plaice eighteen thousand seven hundred 

 and fifty; while of Turbots there Avere condemned only two 

 hundred and seven, and of Brills one hundred and eighty. AU 

 these fishes are retentive of life, and do not soon decay after 

 death; but the difference of numbers here referred to may arise 

 from the circumstance that the two last-named species are more 

 abundantly caught with long lines, where no violence is inflicted, 

 while Soles are chiefly obtained by the trawl, where, when 

 dragged for a long distance along the ground, the bruised 

 bodies may speedily suffer decomposition. But the Sole is 

 sometimes taken with a line, or rather on the hooks of a 

 spiller; and that more are not thus caught is to be explained 

 by the circumstance that this method of fishing is for the most 

 part only followed by day, whereas the Sole usually seeks its 

 food only by night; and by being aware of this, I have been 

 informed by a fisherman that at one haul he once caught 

 twenty-eight Soles, the bait being the lug or other worms of 

 the beach. This fish spawns in the early portion of the year, 

 and we may readily believe it to be prolific, since otherwise 

 the immense numbers that are caught Avould soon extirpate the 

 race. 



Mr. Cocks mentions a couple of Soles, each of which measured 

 twenty-three inches in length, with a breadth of ten inches, 

 the weight nine pounds; but they are rarely allowed to reach 

 so large a size. The example selected measured seventeen 

 inches in length, and in breadth seven inches, including the 

 fins; the general form flat; front of the head rounded, and 

 protruding over the mouth, which is arched, the iqjper lip 

 bent down over the lower, jaws twisted, with fine teeth on the 

 lower or white side of the jaw. Eyes on a level, not touching 

 the upper border or outline, the lower eye close to the corner 

 of the mouth; a depression, and not a ridge, between the eyes; 

 a very short barb in front of the eye. Head, body, and 

 generally the fins covered with small scales; lateral line straight; 

 VOL. III. 2 D 



