224 NATURALIST'S CABINET. 



Descriptions. 



marked with large bright orange-colored spots; 

 the belly is white. 



These fish are very common on most of our 

 coasts, and sometimes taken of the weight of fif- 

 teen pounds ; but they seldom reach that size, 

 one of eight or nine pounds being reckoned a 

 large fish. The best and largest are taken off 

 Rye on the coast of Sussex and in Ireland ; also 

 off the Dutch coasts. They are watery eating, 

 but are, notwithstanding, admired by some. They 

 spawn in the beginning of February. 



THE DAB 



IS found with the preceding species, but is less 

 common. It is generally of an uniform brown 

 color on the upper side, though sometimes 

 clouded with a darker. The scales are small and 

 rough, which is a character of this species. The 

 lateral line is extremely incurvated in the begin- 

 ning, then goes quite straight to the tail. The 

 lower part of the body is white. 



This fish is in best season during February, 

 March, and April : they spawn in May and June, 

 and become flabby and watery the rest of sum- 

 mer. They are superior in quality to the plaise 

 and flounder, but rather inferior in size. 



