210 THE COMMERCIAL SEA FISHES OF 



spring, but two or three seasons pass when not half-a- 

 dozen of these fish are seen in the Edinburgh market. In 

 1835 they were unusually plentiful, particularly in February, 

 but after March they were scarcely ever met with. Having 

 shed their spawn about April, they retire to rocky ground 

 for the remainder of the year. They feed on shell-fish and 

 Crustacea. Thompson found a Nereis in one. 



Means of capture. Beam-trawl, and with small hooks. 



Baits. Soft molluscuous animals. 



Breeding. Spawns in May and June. 



As food. Thompson considered it "a much better fish 

 than plaice, although not so good as sole nor so sweet as 

 the dab." R. Couch says, "it is but little esteemed as 

 food ;" and Cornish, " that it is a very excellent fish." 



Its body is rather thicker than the common dab, and 

 Yarrell considered its flesh equally good, while Parnell 

 says some people reject it because it possesses a strong, 

 disagreeable, tarry flavour, while others believe no flat fish 

 surpasses it in excellence, the flesh being firm and well 

 tasted. The difference depends upon the period of the 

 year when captured, it being good during December, 

 January and February, and unwholesome during April, 

 May and June. 



Habitat.^-Frvm Iceland and the northern coast of 

 Europe to the British Isles and French coast. It has like- 

 wise been captured of Kamtchatka (Steindachner). 



In the Orkneys and Zetland, Dr. Duguid obtained one 

 in August, 1848, and Mr. Iverach in July; has been re- 

 corded from the Moray Firth; Banff; Aberdeen; St. 

 Andrews ; Seton Sands and Aberlady Bay ; during 

 February, March and April, off the Fifeshire coast ; Firth 

 of Forth, not common, but mostly seen in spring months ; 

 Berwick, not common ; Yorkshire, resident and common ; 



