543 



THE OCEAN WORLD. 



advanced than the upper jaw, and is furnished with many rows of 

 small teeth. Its fins., are yellow, with brownish spots. The left side 

 is marbled brown and yellow ; the right side, which is the inferior, 

 white with brownish spots and points. The true turbot is the special 

 delight of the epicure, and fabulous sums are said to have been given 

 at different times by rich persons in, order to secure a fine turbot. 

 The fish used to be taken largely on our own coasts, but now we have 

 to rely upon more distant fishing-grounds for a large portion of our 

 supply large quantities coming from Holland. The turbot spawns 



Fig. 371. The Turbot (Rhombus maximus). 



during the autumn, and is in fine condition during spring and early 

 summer. Mr. Yarrell says that it spawns in spring. Dr. Bertram 

 doubts this, although he is not quite sure of it, inasmuch as " there 

 will, no doubt, be individuals of the turbot kind, as there are of 

 all other kinds of fish, that will spawn all the year round." The 

 turbot abounds on our west coast, round Torbay, and off the mouth of 

 the Seine and the Somme, from whence comes most of the fish con- 

 sumed in London and Paris. The flounders, plaice, and halibut form 

 an important section of the Pleuronectidae. 



