206 THE COMMERCIAL SEA FISHES OF 



Thompson found in the intestinal canal of some taken in 

 Belfast Bay, Tellina tennis, fragments of Mactria solida and 

 common mussel (Mytilus edulis). In June, large ones con- 

 tained some sea mice (Aphrodita aculeata), portions of 

 whelk (Buccinum undatum), with the remains of Decapod 

 Crustacea, and in April, Lucina radula, &c. 



In East Friesland it has been transferred to fresh-water 

 ponds, where it thrives. 



Means of capture. In the Orkneys "a few are caught on 

 small lines made on purpose ; but they are not much 

 sought after." Around the British coast they are taken by 

 lines or beam-trawls. Spillers, also, are shot in sheltered 

 sandy bays, the bait employed being the lug-worm or a 

 mollusc removed from its shell. 



They are speared in the seas of Northern Europe, where 

 the water is very clear, heavily-leaded, doubly-barbed spears 

 being employed, according to Pontoppidan. 



Breeding. The plaice appears usually to breed about 

 February and March, but sometimes in autumn and early 

 winter. On February 4th, 1882, I obtained a male, which 

 weighed i^ Ibs., full of milt. Mr. Jackson, in sending some 

 ova of this fish to Mr. Buckland, remarked that they were 

 obtained from a ripe and enormously distended female in 

 one of the tanks in the Southport Aquarium. The ova 

 ran freely, and at first floated on the surface, but when the 

 vessel was perfectly still they slowly settled to the bottom. 

 The slightest motion of the water occasioned them to 

 float. The young are first seen in April, close to land, 

 swimming on the surface of the sea, on their edge, with 

 an eye on each side. In about a week after being first 

 seen they may be found in pools near the shore, about the 

 size of a baby's finger-nail. A plaice which weighed 4 Ibs. 

 15 ozs. contained I Ib. 9 ozs. of roe, or 144,600 eggs, which 



