530 THE SANDNECKKR, OR LONG ROUGH DAM. 



Sw.; Saml-Flynder, or sand- flounder, Nonv.; Mare-Vl'jn<1<',\ 

 Dan.* ; P. mlcrocephalus, Flem.) was less common in our 

 Skiirgiird than the several species named ; and the like 

 would seem to be the case elsewhere on the western coast. 

 where it is met with from the Sound to at least as high 

 up as Bergen (lat. 60). Kroyer, indeed, imagines that 

 as it is an Icelandic fish, its range to the northward IN 

 probably much more extended. Ekstrom tells us it is not 

 an inhabitant of the Baltic ; hut Boie, on the contrary, that 

 it is met with at Kiel. Its usual length is from ten to 

 twelve inches, and Kroyer does not recollect seeing speci- 

 mens exceeding fifteen or sixteen inches, which he says 

 may he considered its maximum. Its favourite resorts 

 are stony ground ; and hence Bcr<t-Sk<i<l<l<t, the name by 

 which it is best known to the fishermen. English natu- 

 ralists tell us it spawns in May, and Nilsson, in .Inly; 

 Kroyer, from careful examination of its sexual organs, 

 is inclined to believe it does not deposit its ova until 

 late in the autumn or early winter. Its flesh is valued, 

 being considered equal to that of the common plaice. 



The Sandnecker, or Long Hough Dab (IJer-Skddda ; 

 Lei-- !' I a it <lra, or day-flounder, S\v. ; //>/<//'.,/>/</, or shark- 

 dab, Dan. ; P. liiiinntlnliiett, Jen.), which would seem to 

 be somewhat rare in the British seas, is common in the 

 Bohus Skarg;ird, and elsewhere on the \\estern coasts of 

 both Sweden and Norway, where it ranges up to Tromso 

 (lat. <)'.).\), and probably still higher. In the Danish 

 is and the Sound it is also pretty common. But if 

 found in the Baltic, which seems doubtful, it certainly 

 does not penetrate very far into that sea. Its usual 

 length is from ten to ele-\cn inches though at times it 



' The I>iini-li iiani'-. M^iiif'viiii,' Mnry-fliiuiiilfr, ri-niiixls "in- nf tin- 

 designation, Mn,-i/ S.Jr i;m'M to tlii-i li-!i in 1 Vvoiixliin 1 . Anotln'i Im-.-il 

 ii:inii- iiti'li'i- wliidi it is knn\\ii in Drmu.-ivk. Snt.n- /'////i/Ar, i. . !"> 

 fliiiiiiilcr, is iin I'ljiiivali-nl t" tin- Kn^'lixli :i|i|M-lhiti..n ( Smrtir l>nl,. 



