1 86 THE COMMERCIAL SEA FISHES OF 



indignation of the plaice was aroused, and, curling his 

 mouth to one side, he remarked with disdain, " Fancy a 

 simple fish like a herring being king of the sea." And his 

 mouth has continued awry ever since. 



In some of the genera forming this family it is very 

 interesting to observe the different plans on which the eyes 

 are modified and protected. Thus the plaice or the flounder 

 are able to move these organs horizontally, or even ver- 

 tically, and it appears as if the two eyes, to a certain 

 extent, act independently one of the other. In the turbot 

 this organ can be covered, for not only does a thick skin 

 invest the upper and lateral portions of the globe, as in 

 most of the flat fishes, but being insufficient to protect the 

 eye from the irritation of the sand wherewith it covers 

 itself, it is able to elevate a thick lower eyelid, or else to 

 depress the transparent portion of the globe of the eye 

 beneath this fold of skin. 



Respecting the means of capturing these fishes, it is 

 found that they mostly reside in localities where the beam- 

 trawl can be employed, while due to their great commercial 

 value as food they are sought for throughout the year. 

 It was observed at Great Grimsby during the cold winter 

 of 1 88 1, that the catch of soles had increased, as then they 

 retired into deep water. By an old law of the Cinque 

 Ports, no one might capture soles between the ist of 

 November and the i$th of March, neither was any one 

 permitted to fish from sun-setting to sun-rising, that the 

 fish might enjoy their night's food (Pennant, 1776). Con- 

 stant complaints are heard respecting the diminution in 

 the quantity of flat fishes, and the undersized ones that 

 are sent to market. Off Great Grimsby these fish have 

 decreased, so that the captures by each fishing smack are 

 much less than formerly, but the supply has been kept up 



