54 FISHES AND FISHERIES OF THE IRISH SEA. 



inches long. The female produces about 100,000 ova at a time. The egg is small, about 

 o'8 mm. in diameter, and hatches in anything- from 3 to say 12 days, according to the 

 temperature of the water. By many, especially by fishermen, and those living near to or at the 

 fishing centres, as a food it is thought equal if not superior to the plaice ; but the market 

 price is much less, and it is therefore not sought after to the same extent as the plaice. 



PLEURONECTES FLESUS, Linn. Flounder. 



(Day's British Fishes, vol. II., p. 33, PI. CV.) 



(Fish. Mus., Zool. Dep., Univ. Coll., Liverpool.) Local name, "White Fluke." 



In this "fluke" the scales are all small and smooth, except a few large spiny ones 

 which form projections about the back of the head. The colour of the pigmented surface is 

 nearly black, while the underside is opaque china-white. The flounder has only 40 to 45 

 ventral fin-rays, fewer than any other flat-fish, which is a useful character available for 

 identification at all periods of life. 



The flounder ranges from the North of Europe to the French coast, and is abundant 

 round the British coast, especially in estuaries. It ascends rivers and streams into completely 

 fresh water. 



In our district the flounders come down the rivers and go to sea (" make their run") 

 early in January in order to spawn at sea. They are said to be driven down the rivers by the 

 frost. While at sea they are commonly caught in the trawl along with the plaice ; both 

 fish are found spawning together in February to April. The egg of the flounder measures 

 about 0*95 mm. in diameter, and usually hatches out in seven days. Flounders are also taken 

 by stake nets on the shore and by spearing in shallow water. 



At the Lancashire Sea-fish Hatchery at Piel, Mr. Andrew Scott has during the last few 

 years hatched out large numbers of young flounder larvae from eggs obtained from parent fish 

 collected in November and December, and kept in tanks throughout the spawning season. It 

 is found that it requires about 150 females and 100 males to supply about 15 millions of 

 fertilised eggs for the hatchery, and of these about 14 millions or over 90 per cent, can be 

 successfully hatched out. 



PLEURONECTES CYNOGLOSSUS, Linn. Witch. 



(Day's British Fishes, vol. II., p. 30, PI. CIII.) 



(Fish. Mus., Zool. Dep., Univ. Coll., Liverpool.) Local name, "W'itch." 



The Witch is distinguished from the Plaice by the more elongated oval outline of body ; 

 and by the smaller head and mouth ; by the absence of a curve on the front part of the lateral 

 line, and by there being no red markings on the brown upper surface, while the lower is not a 

 bright white. There are more dorsal and ventral fin-rays than in any other British flat-fish, 

 over 100 in the dorsal and about 90 in the ventral. 



This fish the Witch or Pole-dab is found mainly around the British Isles, extending 

 but little to the north or south. It occurs, however, on the North American coast. It is a 

 deep-water fish. 



In our district fair quantities are found west of the Isle of Man and off the Calf Island. 

 It is caught in the trawl, at all times of the year, and generally on a muddy bottom. It seems 

 to feed chiefly on worms. There are not so many off the Lancashire and Welsh coasts, but 

 still it does occur there, and we have taken it off St. Bees Head, Cumberland, and in the 



