THE FLAT-FISH FAMILY 245 



of rather deep water, being rarely taken on grounds less than 

 20 fathoms below the surface. It does not however descend to 

 great depths, 80 fathoms being the greatest at which it was 

 found on the west coast of Ireland. In the North Sea it is not 

 found on the Dogger Bank or on the shallow grounds of the 

 eastern side and south of the Silver Pit. It is common along 

 the east coast of Scotland and north-east coast of England, 

 occurs in small numbers on the deeper grounds off Mount's Bay 

 and the mouth of the Bristol Channel. It was found by Mr. 

 Holt to be common in the produce of the beam trawl on 

 the grounds off the south coast of Iceland up to a depth of 

 40 fathoms. 



Food of the Adults. — In the Tenth Report of the Scottish 

 Board are given the results of the examination of the contents 

 of 569 stomachs from the Firth of Forth. The different kinds 

 of marine animals were found in the following percentages of 

 stomachs : — Crustacea in 49 per cent. ; echinoderms in 29 per 

 cent. ; fish in 14 per cent. ; marine worms in 9 per cent. ; 

 molluscs in 6 per cent. 



Among the Crustacea, the common shrimp was present in 

 126 cases, hermit crabs in forty-five, swimming crabs in thirty, 

 red shrimps in twenty-one, opossum shrimps in twenty-two. 



Among echinoderms, sand-stars occurred in sixty-one, brittle- 

 stars in thirty-five, common starfishes in seven. 



Of fish, gobies occurred in seventeen, whitings in five, long 

 rough dabs (cannibalism) in four, and others in smaller numbers. 



The most important prey of this fish in the Firth of Forth 

 therefore is the common shrimp, other Crustacea come next in 

 order, and echinoderms next 



In St. Andrews Bay on the other hand, the echinoderms 

 predominated. Only sixty-two stomachs examined contained 

 recognisable remains, and among these forty-nine contained 

 sand-stars and brittle-stars. Shrimps were found in eleven, fish 

 in five, and worms in two. 



Time and Place of Spazvning. — Dr. Fulton found that these 

 fish were spawning from February until May, chiefly in March. 

 On the west of Ireland ripe fish were taken in April and May. 

 On the east coast of Scotland spawning takes place both inside 

 and outside the three-mile limit, but chiefly outside. 



The Eggs and their Development. — The buoyant ova of this 



