534 THE IIOLIBUT AND THE TTIRBOT. 



and others from June to August. Kroyer is of the latter 

 way of thinking, because one then finds these fish in 

 shallow water, and near to tlie mouths of rivers. 



Por the most part it is taken by the hand-line, or the 

 " long line," and at a depth of from sixty to a hundred 

 fathoms ; Strom says from three hundred to five hundred. 

 It bites very freely, especially if the bait be a suitable 

 one, and the sun shining brightly, to enable the fish to see 

 it the better. It is remarkable, Kroyer observes, that 

 " though the Holibut is, properly speaking, a deep-sea 

 fish, it is at times met with in five or six, or it may be in as 

 little as four, fathoms water : a circumstance of which the 

 fisherman is not slow to take advantage; for, on espying 

 it whilst at the bottom, he harpoons it in a fashion of his 

 own." In Sweden, as also in Denmark, the Holibut is 

 held in much esteem for the table ; but in Norway, we are 

 told, opinion is somewhat divided as to its merits, some 

 looking on it as a delicacy, whilst others rather despise 

 it. The head and fins, which are particularly fat, are 

 the parts most prized. In the Bohus Skiirgard this fish 

 is often converted into a palatable souji, called Raf, or 

 RdJdinfj ; but how prepared I know not. When brought 

 to market, a purchaser can seldom be found for the entire 

 fish, and for the most part, therefore, it is cut uji into 

 slices, and sold by the pound. 



The Turbot {Pitig-Ucar* thorny or prickly hvar, Sw. ; 

 Pig- J^arre,T)ai\. ; li/ioii/hiis maximus, Linn.), which, next to 

 the Holibut, is the largest of the Flounders, was somewhat 

 scarce in our Skiirgard. So it is to be inferred at least, 

 from the very scanty supply of these fish brought to 

 the Gothenburg mai'ket, one of the best in the North of 



* Also Pigg-Hvarf ; in Danish also Pig- Verre. Respecting tlie ojigin 

 of this old Gotliic name, llvar, Varre, ttc, Northern naturalists are unable 

 to give \is any information. 



