Distribution, &c., of Turbot. 59 



Margate Sands seawards ; but the Leigh fishermen now 

 seldom go there, though they used to do so frequently 

 in the so-called " Long-lining days." Frank Buckland* 

 states that " magnificent turbots are also caught at the back of 

 the ' Falls,' near Margate ; there are sands near the Goodwin 

 which, however, the turbot do not frequent." The former 

 locality referred to is beyond the international limit, certainly 

 out of the way of our provisional Leigh fisheries boundary. 

 In the kettle-nets near Fisherman's Head, Foulness, small 

 turbot in times past and still are occasionally entrapped. Our 

 colleague, Dr. Laver, mentions (Introd. vol. cited) that at 

 the fish-pits adjoining the sea-wall, Foulness, where the catches 

 are temporarily stored, they tie a string round the tail root of 

 the turbot, &c., with a cork at the free end. The cork float 

 thus marks exactly where to dip for the fish when wanted. 

 When we visited the Fisherman's Head locality, perforated 

 floating store boxes were only then in use. 



Turbot when secured by the Leigh fishers are brought up 

 in the shrimp-nets or beam-trawl, and then, as said, few and 

 far between.f The most usual time of year they are got is 

 towards the end of the summer or the beginning of the autumn. 

 Then, as a rule, they are obtained below the Nore, or as far as 

 the West Girdler or the Maplin Light. In the fall of 1870 

 a specimen 2J ft. long was brought up when dredging for 

 " Five Fingers " in the Bawley " Busy Bee," off Grain Spit, at 

 the mouth of the Medway. A week or 10 days later, the same 

 persons caught another in the shrimp-net on the Maplin Sands. 

 This plump one was about 2 ft. long, and fetched 10s. in Bil- 

 lingsgate market (J. Tyrrel). 



Turbot are mentioned among the " Fishes of Sandgate " 

 neighbourhood (Z.c.), and probably may be met with at other 

 places on the Kent shores. At all events, they are in plenty 

 on the Varne and Ridge sandbanks, whence the fisher- 



* Nat. Hist. Brit. Fishes, 1880. 



t A female, 25 inches long, weighing nearly 13 Ibs., roe full in pinky stage, caught 

 in stow-net, near Knock Buoy, 21si Nov., 1900, by Ben. Emery. 



