CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 117 



fishes, and swims on its Ix'lly; but .soon the sknll liecomes so twisted, 

 as to bring the two eyes on the same side — usnally tlie right ; from that 

 time on, the fish assumes the horizontal position. The mouth, armed 

 with strong teeth, is small in proportion to the size of the body as com- 

 pared with most other fishes, but it is proportionally large in comparison 

 with other flounders. 



In point of size, the halibut is one of the largest fishes, ranking with 

 the swordfish, the tarpon and the tuna. Specimens weighing four hun- 

 dred pounds, or more, have been taken, but they are not commonly 

 seen; Jordan and Evermann, in "American Food and Grame Fishes" 

 (1905, p. 524), mention that "Nilsson records one from the coast of 

 Sweden that weighed 720 pounds." A fish w-eighing between eighty 

 and one hundred pounds mea.sures nearly five feet in length; its 

 "depth," i. c, the cystance from back to belly, is about one third of its 

 length. A fish that has attained a weight of three hundred pounds is 

 about seven feet long, and perhaps three feet deep. 



It has not yet been learned when spawning occurs, nor is it know^n 

 under what conditions this takes place. On September 1, 1914, in a 

 female halibut caught on the Albatross' gear, the eggs were looser, 

 somewhat larger, and seemingly more nearly approaching "ripeness" 

 than was the ease in any female haliliut previously taken during the 

 investigation. Apparently, the time for spawning was approaching, but 

 the evidence is too slight to form the basis for any theory. 



Concerning the food of the halibut, little is know^n, for the reason 

 that eight or nine tenths of those caught are found to have disgorged 

 the stomach contents. Some evidence, bearing on this question, w^as 

 obtained as a small result of the investigation. Strictly carnivorous, 

 the fish has a varied diet, sometimes exhibiting positively cannibalistic 

 tendencies. In the stomach of one halibut was found a starfish ; another 

 contained a small octopus ; while from still a third one, a young ray 

 was removed ; crustaceans, such as shrimps, are also indulged in at 

 times. But fishes, of various kinds and sizes, seem to constitute the 

 bulk of the halibut's food. A small halibut, partly digested, was found 

 in a larger one ; and in each of several halibut w^ere the bony remains 

 of fish which must have been somewhat of a " mouthful ' ' for the captor. 

 One halibut, in particular, weighing about 130 pounds, contained, all 

 at the same time, a hake {Merluccius product us) , a silver salmon (Onco- 

 rhynchus kisutcli), and a red rock-fish ( Sehastodcs riiherrimus) , the so- 

 called "rock-cod." Each of these fish weighed fully ten pounds, and 

 had been swallowed only a short time before the halibut was caught. 



Distinctly an inhabitant of the bottom of the sea, the halibut roams 

 leisurely about, but probably does not remain long in one locality. This 

 is inferred from what fishermen report: that, after they have fished 

 one place for perhaps a day, they are obliged to shift to another location 

 five or ten miles away, because the fish have disappeared from the old 

 .ground. Bottom of coarse sand or fine gravel, on which sea-pens and 

 anemones abound, seems to be preferred by the fish, while muddy or 

 barren bottom is either shunned or passed over rapidly. In addition 

 to the character of the bottom and the abundance of food, temperature 

 is a factor influencing the wanderings of the halibut ; rarely is the fish 

 found in waters warmer than 45° Fahrenheit, but is most commonly 

 taken in waters considerablv colder. 



