52 Soles, where Abundant. 



The places in which the sole is found in the greatest 

 numbers in the Leigh fishing area are : (1) The longer soles, 

 i.e., 6 to 12 inches onwards, are caught in the Oaze Channel 

 and on the Warp. (2) The young brood, 1J to 6 inches, 

 congregate in immense shoals at times heard of more east- 

 wards, but particularly and regularly at Warden Point (Isle of 

 Sheppey), and this so close to the clay cliffs on the shore as to 

 be inside the fishing smacks' ordinary range of trawling. 

 Their numbers diminish by degrees along the more stony 

 Sheppey coast towards Sheerness. From the Grain Spit to the 

 Yantlet Creek the nature of the ground is decidedly sandy, and 

 there these diminutive soles are not found in any great 

 multitudes. (3) Between the Yantlet buoy (near the datum 

 posts) up to the middle Blyth buoy, however, the brood fish 

 again master in force, occasionally in packed family groups' 

 It will be observed, therefore, that the young and immature 

 shoals (Nos. 2 & 3) seem to have a preference for the Kent 

 side in ascending; whilst the riper aged (No. 1), on the 

 contrary, rather cling to the Essex side in their downward 

 estuary progress. Thus it would seem that in the Thames 

 area the migration of young and older flat-fish, to some extent, 

 accords with what is said to be the rule on the north-eastern 

 coasts. (See remarks, p. 12-13.) 



Influence of currents, winds, temperature and food have 

 been severally advanced as rational explanation of why and 

 wherefore of these migrations and nurseries or gregarious 

 association of juvenile soles, plaice, dabs, &c., inshore and 

 towards estuaries. Possibly each and all these forces have 

 a share, according to circumstances. From what has been 

 said in Sect. II. of conditions extant in our estuary, the 

 offshore spawned larval soles and plaice would naturally 

 appear to be led towards the Sheppey cliff, with its marginal 

 attraction of food, &c. Above the Yantlet again, sand 

 diminishing and muddy clyte bottom superadded, provender 

 for tiny fish undoubtedly abounds, 



