50 FISHES AND FISHERIES OF THE IRISH SEA. 
the most remarkable because of the curious metamorphosis which transforms the symmetrical, 
evenly-developed young fish into the flattened, unsymmetrical adult. The body is flattened 
from side to side, and the animal lies with one side, usually the /eft, on the bottom. The head 
is twisted, so that both eyes come to be on the upper surface, which is darkly pigmented, 
while the lower side is white. The dorsal fin grows forward along one side of the head, 
and does not lie between the eyes. The two flattened surfaces are really the right and 
left sides of the animal. There is a pectoral and a pelvic fin, and a gill-cover on each, 
just as in the case of an ordinary fish such as the cod or herring. 
In most of our flat fishes it is the right-hand side of the body which is uppermost, and 
bears the eyes; but in the turbot and brill, the megrim and the scald fish, and the three 
species of Top-knots, the left side is the one that is uppermost, is pigmented, and bears the 
eyes. In all the eggs are pelagic—small, buoyant, and transparent. 
HIPPOGLOSSUS VULGARIS, Flem.—Halibut. 
(Day’s British Fishes, vol. II., p. 5, Pl. XCIV.) 
The halibut is a northern fish, ranging from Arctic seas down to the English Channel, 
and, although found all round our coast, is more abundant off the Scottish coast than in our 
sea. ‘* Pennant mentions it from the Menai Straits, and in April, 1829, an example 7} feet 
long, and 320 lb. weight was recorded from off the Isle of Man—Mag. Nat. Hist. 1829, 1. p. 84” 
(Day). Byerley states that the Hoylake fishermen take one or two in a year; and we hear of 
it as taken occasionally to the east of the Isle of Man. It is also occasionally still taken by 
the Hoylake and Fleetwood trawlers, but must be regarded as very scarce in our waters. 
DREPANOPSETTA PLATESSOIDES (Fabr.)—Long Rough Dab. 
(See Azppoglossoides limandotdes, Day’s British Fishes, vol. II., p. 9, Pl. XCV.) 
(Fish. Mus., Zool. Dep., Univ. Coll., Liverpool.) 
This is apparently a fish of somewhat restricted range—the North Sea and neighbouring 
shore of north-western Europe. It is commonest on the east coast of Scotland, and is rare in 
our district, where there is no fishery for it. Byerley records it as ‘‘ rare near the shore, more 
frequent in deep water.” Prof. White tells us he has found it in the Menat Straits ; and we 
took one specimen from the ‘‘ John Fell,” in March, 1895, in ‘‘ the Hole,” Irish Sea. 
RHomMBUS MAXIMUS (Linn.)—Tuprbot. 
(Day’s British Fishes, vol. II., p. 11, Pl. XCVI.) 
(Fish. Mus., Zool. Dep., Univ. Coll., Liverpool). Zocal name, ‘*‘ Turbot.” 
The Turbot ranges from the north of Europe to the Mediterranean, and is fished all 
round our coast. In the Irish Sea it frequently occurs in the trawl all over the district, on the 
off-shore grounds, and at all times of year. It is most commonly taken at night. The young 
from 2 to 8 inches in length are caught in the shrimp nets in shallow water (we have taken 
them 2 inches long in the Blackpool closed ground in January), and rather larger ones in fish 
trawls along the banks. It is also taken in Barrow Channel, and along the Cardigan coast, 
and is not uncommon round the Isle of Man. Turbot are occasionally taken in Port Erin Bay, 
close to shore, with the drag net; one weighing 8} Ibs. was caught in October, 1901. Prof. 
White tells us it is caught occasionally in the weir in the Menai Straits, one caught there last 
summer weighed 14 lbs, 
