294 



NATURAL HISTORY OF OUR SHORES 



I had a daily opportunity of studying the flat fishes, 

 for about five years, in the large, shallow reservoirs of an 

 oyster-rearing establishment. (One of these reservoirs is 

 shown on page 193.) 



Flat fish, chiefly plaice and soles, abounded in these 



Fig. 123. The Plaice on shell gravel, masking its outline, and modif} 7 ing 

 its coloration 



places, and what I have said of the captive turbot holds 

 good with those viewed in nature. 



Fishes that lurk under stones, or live among weeds or in 

 rock crevices e.g. Goby, Blenny, etc. are usually of a 

 dark colour, or of a pinkish tint when in the coralline 

 zone (Lepadog 'aster). 



When they emerge for food they put on colour and 



