126 



Adult soles, as sold in the market, vary from about 12 to 16 inches in length (30 

 to 40 cm.). If we take the medium size, 14 inches (or 35 cm.), it is evident that this 

 size cannot be reached in one year more by soles which at two years are only 6| to 

 9 inches in length. In all probability the length of 14 inches is not reached until 

 after the fish is four years old, and at three years it is only about 11 inches long. 



The difficulty of distinguishing the ages of soles after the first year is due to the 

 fact that at a given time a series of sizes may be found from those which are probably 

 two years old to those which are three. The explanation of this is, first, that the 

 spawning time lasts altogether at least two months, and that the rate of growth 

 doubtless varies in different individuals according to the amount of food they have 

 been able to obtain. 



The largest sole I have ever seen was one I obtained when trawling off the Land's 

 End in March, 1889. It was a ripe female, and measured 20 J inches in length, 9J 

 in breadth (52 cm. by 24 cm.). But still larger specimens have been recorded. 

 According to Day a Mr. Grove, of Charing Cross, received one from Torbay in 1882, 

 which was 24 inches (61 cm.) long, and weighed 6J Ibs. Yarrell mentions one taken 

 to the Totness market in 1826 which was 26 inches (66 cm.) long, 11 J inches 

 (29-2 cm.) broad, and weighed 9 Ibs. Probably the sole, like most fishes, goes on 

 growing as long as it lives, and taking the growth as 3 inches a year after the first 

 year, when it grows 5 inches, the fish I saw. which was 20^ inches long, must have 

 been six years old. 



