Young Soles, all Seasons. 53 



The following observations pretty well sustain the 

 fishermen's statements of frequency of young soles nearly at 

 all seasons. The numbers given do not represent the entire 

 quantity in each haul of the trawl, but only samples of the 

 general catch lifted at random in a baler along with other fish, 

 &c., not here noted. The precise measurement of each fish was 

 accurately determined, but here for brevity we only give the 

 extremes of the sizes : January 1st, 10th, 18th, Leigh Roads to 

 just below the Nore total, 47 soles, ranging from 2 to 3J inches ; 

 April 20th, between Spile and East Cant Buoy, 150 soles, from 

 2 to 3f inches ; May 2nd, The Blyth, 164 soles, 2 to 3| inches ; 

 May 7th, Sea Reach and Leigh Roads, 275 soles, 2| to 4 inches, 

 and 4 soles from 5 to 6| inches; May 10th, Girdler Buoy and 

 Lightship, back to the Gilman, 7 soles, 3 to 3j inches, besides 

 many larger ones 8 inches upwards ; June 16th, below Nore, 

 N"ew W. Oaze Buoy and neighbourhood, 20 soles, running from 

 2| to 4 inches, besides quantities of moderate dimensions 

 and others 9 and 10 inches long ; August 18th, area 

 crossing the Red Sand, or from the Gilman to East 

 Spile and East Cant, among a large series of soles 

 of all sizes, roughly sampled after the shrimp- trawl had 

 been emptied on deck, there were noticed a few 1 inch to 1^ 

 inch extreme length, very many 2 to 5 inches, and a goodly 

 proportion from 6 up to 14 inches long. In these hauls, besides 

 prime shrimps, were abundant specimens of dabs and plaice 

 (from 1| up to 7 inches), a few solenettes, many sprats, whiting- 

 pouts, gurnards, sand-eels, skates, blennies, pipe fish and others. 

 September 10th, opposite Beacon, above Chapman Light, a 

 fair assortment of soles, plaice, and dabs, the first-mentioned 

 ranging from 2 to 10 inches, a few 11 inches and afoot long; 

 those 2J to over 3 inches were apparently preponderant; 

 the mediums, 6 to 8 inches, numerous ; those above this sparse. 

 Our notes, October to December, are not so definite, for the 

 boisterous weather then often stands in the way of research. 

 But we may state that puny-sized soles have been got in limited 



