THE SAIL-FLUKE. 239 
time by an anchor or grapple, and its situation marked by a 
floating buoy; the boat is then rowed or rather sculled by the 
apprentice in a circle, the fisherman near the stern handing 
out and clearing the net: when the circle is completed and a 
space enclosed, the net is hauled in near the starting-point in a 
direction across the fixed end.” 
The Sail-fluke, a species of flat-fish common among the 
Orkneys, where it is highly prized as an article of food, its flesh 
being firm and white, is remarkable for its curious habit of 
coming ashore spontaneously, with its tail erected above the 
water, like a boat under sail, whence it has derived its name. 
This it does generally in calm weather, and on sandy shores, and 
the country people residing near such places train their dogs to 
catch it. In North Ronaldshay, the northernmost island of the 
group, a considerable supply is obtained in an original manner : 
thus described in a letter from a resident inserted in Yarrell’s 
“ British Fishes:” “In the winter and early spring, a pair of 
black-headed gulls take possession of the South Bay, drive away 
all interlopers, and may be seen at daybreak every morning, 
beating from side to side, on the wing, and never both in 
one place, except in the act of crossing as they pass. The 
sail-fluke skims the ridge of the wave towards the shore with 
its tail raised over its back, and when the wave recedes is left on 
the sand, into which it burrows so suddenly and completely that, 
though I have watched its approach, only once have I succeeded 
in finding its burrow. 
“The gull, however, has a surer eye, and casting like a hawk 
pounces on the fluke, from which, by one stroke of its bill, it 
extracts the liver. If not disturbed, the gull no sooner gorges 
the luscious morsel than it commences dragging the fish to 
some outlying rock, where he and his consort may discuss it at 
leisure. By robbing the black backs, I have had the house 
supplied daily with this excellent fish, in weather during which 
no fishing-boat could put to sea. Close to the beach of South 
Bay, a stone wall has been raised to shelter the crops from the 
sea-spray. Behind this we posted a smart lad, who kept his eye 
on the soaring gulls. The moment one of the birds made its 
well-known swoop, the boy rushed to the sea-strand shouting 
out with all his might. He was usually in time to scare the 
gull away and secure the fluke, but almost in every case with 
