226 THE COMMERCIAL SEA FISHES OF 



which would first have to be investigated. Thus at certain ' 

 seasons the "thick-backed sole," Solea variegata, which 

 rarely exceeds 6 inches in length, is common in the Ply- 

 mouth markets, and perhaps finds its way to London ; while 

 the " little sole," Solea lutea, abounds along the south-west 

 coast, and is generally thrown overboard as useless, or sold 

 as manure. Any prohibition against the capture of soles 

 under a certain size would cause taking these forms 

 to be penal. This opens up the question what, if these 

 small forms alone are permitted to increase off the south- 

 west coast will be the effect on the food of the Pleuronectidce 

 in general ? For should the useless forms be protected, and 

 if they live on the same diet as the useful table sole, it 

 appears as if such legislation might cause more injury than 

 benefit to the fisheries. 



i. Common Sole (Solea vulgaris). 



Names. Sole, as the Greeks considered it would form a 

 fit sandal for an ocean nymph ; slips, or tongues, the market 

 terms for the young ; also tongue-soles in the Moray Firth, 

 and lobsters in Suffolk. 



B. vii., D. 73-86, V. 5-6, A. 61-73, L. 1, 160, Vert. 

 9 I 39-40. 



Length of [head 5^ to 5f ; height of body 3i to 3i in the 

 total length. Eyes. The upper slightly in advance of the 

 lower ; interorbital space exceeding I diameter of the eye 

 in width. Jaws of about the same length in front. Cleft 

 of the mouth extends to beneath the middle of the lower 

 eye. Some short filaments on the snout and on the blind 

 side of the head. Nostrils on coloured side just in front of 

 lower eye, the posterior one patent with a thick lip on the 

 upper side ; the anterior one tubular. On the blind side 



