FLAT-SIDED AND FLAT-BACKED FISHES 403 



the German Ocean, but large ones are almost unknown on 

 the Scotch coasts. Turbot are caught over big sandbanks, and 

 the Dutch are reputed more skilful in their capture than our 

 own fishermen. Fishing is carried on from March till August. 

 They are found both on sand and mud, and, like the sole, 

 migrate into deep water during the cold weather. They feed 

 largely on Crustacea and molluscs, but the baits used by the 

 fishermen with greatest success are live lamperns and sand-eels. 

 In the Moray Firth herring is used as bait, and turbot are 

 occasionally taken on mussels, sea worms, and limpets. Some- 

 times they appear to feed a little way off the bottom. The 

 name was formerly spelt ' turbolt,' and they are called on the 

 east coast of Scotland king-fleuk, barncock, and roddan or roan 

 fleuk. The Orkney name is rod. Northumbrian fishermen 

 speak of brat, turbrat, and roddams. 



The BRILL Rhombus Icevis of naturalists, the kite of 

 Devonshire and Cornwall, bastard turbot of Moray Firth, and 

 siller fleuk of Aberdeen is not often taken by sportsmen. It 

 is a rare fish in the north of Scotland, but fairly abundant 

 round the coast of England, and more so on the South than 

 on the East coast. Sometimes it is found in sandy bays, but 

 in colder weather it seeks deep water ; in fact, in its habits it 

 closely resembles the turbot, and the methods of capture are 

 much the same. 



Of the SOLE (Solea vulgaris) I am inclined to say little. In 

 the first place, it bids fair to become extinct ; and, on account 

 of its scarcity and night-feeding habits, is not often caught by 

 the angler in salt water. During warm weather soles come into 

 fairly shallow water, retreating into the deep in winter, their 

 migration, if it may be so called, depending in a large measure 

 on the temperature of the air and water. Soles are fairly pro- 

 lific in the matter of eggs, a fish of one pound having been 

 found to contain 134,000 ; but so great a destruction of fish-life 



