196 



THE COMMERCIAL SEA FISHES OF 



mullet 12, sole 8, plaice or dab 6, and flounder 7 inches 

 long, were forbidden to be sold. 



Means of capture. At the commencement of the season 

 it is taken by trammel and beam-trawl nets, but as the fish 

 retires to deeper water and rougher ground, long lines or 

 boulters are employed ; off the Dutch coast in warm 

 weather they are taken in very shallow water. In calm 

 weather, when the sun is bright, it may be speared. In 

 county Down fishermen employ a spear thirty-two 

 thirty-three feet long, armed at its extremity with an iron 

 barb ; the fishermen even drive it down on them when 

 beyond their reach. In many places fishing for turbot with 

 long lines has had to be discontinued owing to their being 

 destroyed by steam-trawlers, while in several localities these 

 fish, which used to be abundant, have almost disappeared. 

 It is to be regretted that numbers of the young of these 

 fish are destroyed by trawlers, or inshore nets having 

 small mesh as used by shrimpers. 



Baits. These must be very fresh, alive if practicable, and 

 shining if possible ; the lampern is deemed one of the best, 

 and largely used by the Dutch. In the Moray Firth, during 

 July and August, it is often captured with herrings or sand- 

 eels used as a bait. It will take a slice of fresh fish as th( 

 named, also Coitus^ haddock, mackerel, pilchard, sand 

 smelt, garfish, and likewise worms, mussels, limpets, or eve 

 bullock's-liver. 



Breeding. Breeds in summer ; in February it has been 

 found with nearly mature ova ; a male had milt only 

 thirds ripe, April I2th, 1883. This fish has a large number 

 of very small ova, and in a 23 Ib. fish, which had a n 

 weighing 5 Ibs. 9 oz., were 14,311,200 eggs. 



Hermaphrodites. Quelch published a description of 

 supposed hybrid between this fish and the brill, Rhombic 



