ORE A T BRIT A IN. 21 5 



1 lines, and deep-sea lines, being more easily taken by hooks 

 than any other flat fish. 



Baits. Marine sandworms and bodies of testaceous 

 molluscs. 



Breeding. March, April, May, and June. Many as 

 small as if inches long were received from the mouth of 

 the Thames, in November, 1880, and some male and 

 females, with the roe and milt fully developed, in February, 

 1883, from the south coast. 



As food. A high-flavoured and excellent fish (Thomp- 

 son), but if waters are muddy, the taste partakes of such ; 

 it is largely eaten among the poor of London and Paris. 

 It is in the best condition from February to April in some 

 places, from August to December in Cornwall. 



Habitat. From the shores of Northern Europe to those 

 of the British Isles, and extending to the coasts of France, 

 being abundant off Brittany and Poitou, but less common 

 in the Gulf of Gascogne. 



It is found on most parts of the British coasts, being 

 tolerably frequent in the Orkneys and Zetland ; abundant 

 at times in the Moray Firth, also pretty frequent off Banff 

 and Aberdeen ; not uncommon at St. Andrews ; common 

 in the Edinburgh market and Berwick ; off Yorkshire it is 

 resident, very abundant, and known as the sand-dab at 

 Redcar. It is by no means uncommon along the south 

 coast, especially Devonshire, and very common off Brix- 

 ham and Cornwall. 



In Ireland it is not rare round the coast, and has been 

 recorded from Dublin, Waterford, Youghal, Galway coast, 

 county Down, Belfast and Strangford Loughs, while at 

 Portrush, county Antrim, it is the most numerous kind 

 brought up by the trawl, rarely, however, exceeding 

 12 inches in length (Ogilby). 



