PLAISE. FLOUNDER. 273 



Indeed the holibut constitutes no inconsiderable part of 

 the provisions of a Greenlander, after being cut into large 

 slices and dried in the sun. 



It is frequently exposed in pieces for sale in the Lon- 

 don markets : but its flesh is coarse for eating, except the 

 part which adheres to the side-fins, which is extremely 

 fat and delicious, though at the same time rather surfeit- 

 ing. It is excessively voracious ; and, in respect to 

 length, the narrowest of all the genus except the sole. 

 The body is perfectly smooth, and free from spines : the 

 colour of the upper part is dusky ; the under is a pure 

 white. Both eyes, as is common in flat fish, are placed 

 on one side of the head ; and it swims sideways. 



THE PLAISE. 



The body of this species is extremely flat ; and behind 

 the left eye is a row of six tubercles, reaching to the com- 

 mencement of the lateral line. The upper part of the 

 body and fins is of a clear brown, marked with large bright 

 orange-coloured spots ; and the belly is white. 



These fishes are very common on most of the British 

 coasts. Some of them have been known to weigh fifteen 

 pounds ; however, they are in general considerably smaller. 

 The best and largest are caught near Rye, in Sussex, and 

 on the Dutch coasts. They spawn about the beginning of 

 February. 



THE FLOUNDER. 



Flounders frequent every part of the British seas ; and 

 even enter our rivers, which they ascend to a great dis- 

 tance from the salt water. In size they are inferior to 

 the plaise, seldom exceeding the weight of six pounds. 

 The distinguishing character of this species is a row of 

 sharp small spines that surround its upper sides, and are 

 placed just at the junction of the fins with the body. An- 

 other row marks the side-line, and runs half-way down 

 the back. The upper part of the body is a pale brown, 

 sometimes marked with a few obscure spots of dirty yel- 

 N 5 



