208 THE COMMERCIAL SEA FISHES OF 



Europe, to the British and French shores, extending in 

 diminished numbers into the Mediterranean. 



Found all round our coasts. In the Orkneys and Zet- 

 land abundant ; Moray Firth, common, especially during 

 April ; has been recorded from Banff ; Aberdeen ; St. 

 Andrews ; Firth of Forth ; Berwickshire ; Yorkshire, resi- 

 dent, very common, but Mr. Mudd informs us that it is 

 becoming more scarce, and that it is found in greatest 

 numbers in or near the Dogger Bank ; at Great Grimsby 

 its diminution is causing alarm to some of the fishermen ; 

 Norfolk, common ; found all along the south coast, the 

 largest said to come from Sussex ; off Mevagissey, in 

 Cornwall, they swarm in shoals during the autumn, and 

 Mr. Cornish observes that those from a hard, close killas 

 sand are usually good edible fish. Those from a loose 

 gravelly sand are valueless. 



In Ireland it is abundant round the coast ; to the north 

 it is the most common species of flat fish. 



Although one of these fish weighing 6 or 7 Ibs. is a fine 

 example, Donovan and others have recorded it up to 

 1 5 Ibs. weight. 



2. Smear-dab (Pleuronectes microcephalus). 



Names. Smear-dab, due to its being frequently covered 

 with slime ; lemon-dab or lemon-sole (Belfast), owing to its 

 colours ; Mary-sole, Scotland, Devonshire and Cornwall, in 

 which last county it has likewise been known as kit ; 

 smooth-dab or bastard-sole ; town-dab, Hastings ; French 

 sole, Youghal ; sole-fleuk, Moray Firth ; sand-fleuk, Edin- 

 burgh. 



B. vii., D. 85-93, V. 5-6, A. 70-76, L. i, 130, Caec. 

 pyl. 4, Vert. if. 



