254 ECONOMIC ZOOLOGY AND ENTOMOLOGY 



their eyes in the normal position. But soon they begin to rest 

 on the bottom and the eye on the lower side begins to 

 migrate, so that in a little while both eyes are close together 

 on the upper side of the head. Many species of flounders 

 and soles are found along the shores of both oceans. They 

 are largely used as food. The halibut occur on offshore banks 

 in the northern part of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. They 

 reach a length of six to eight feet and a weight of 500 pounds or 

 more. The halibut fisheries are very important, especially in 

 the north Pacific. The young halibut, called "chicken 

 halibut," are tender and of fine flavor, differing in this 



FIG. 1 1 6. The winter flounder, Pseudoplenronectes americanus. (After 



Goode.) 



respect from most of the flat fishes which, although in great 

 demand for food, do not have much flavor. 



With this brief review of only a few of the more important 

 of the many hundreds of common food or game fishes we must 

 leave the discussion of this sub-class without even a reference 

 to the many strange and interesting fishes that occur in the 

 fresh waters of other lands and in other seas. Among the coral 

 reefs that surround many of the tropical islands are to be found 

 most beautifully colored fishes; in the greatest depths of the 

 ocean are strange uncanny fish, some of which are provided 

 with phosphorescent patches on their heads or on appendages, 

 enabling them to see in the dark abysses. For the study of these 



