THE HOLIBUT. 41 3 



l^he Bolibvt *, 



Th£S fpecies is called In Scotland the turbot, though dif- 

 ferent from the fifh known In England hy that name. It 

 is the largeft fifli of the flounder kind, and is fometimes 

 found on our ftiores three hundred pounds weight, while 

 thofe in the feas of Iceland and Newfoundland greatl/ 

 exceed even that fize. In Greenland they are alfo caught 

 of a prodigious bulk, with the hook and line, off thefe 

 bold fhores : There they are cut up into large flips, and 

 dried for food to the inhabitants. The holibut is alfo 

 common in the London market ; but where there is fuch 

 an abundant variety to choofe, they are deemed a coarfe 

 tmfavoury fiHi, excepting the part which adheres to the 

 fide fins, which is fat and lufcious. 



The colour above is an obfcure green, bordering upon 

 black ; that of the belly a pure white. The fcales are 

 fmall, and the body all over free from fplnes ; even the 

 edges of the fins have no afperity from the projedlion of 

 the rays. The eyes are upon the left fide of the mouth, 

 and the right of the animal. The fin which runs along 

 the back, begins above the eyes, and terminates about 

 two inches from the tail ; that upon the belly has its 

 origin about feven inches from the point of the roftrum, 

 and terminates in the fame manner. There are two pec- 

 toral fins and fix fmall ones on the belly f . 



• Plcuronefies Hyppogloflws, Lin. Syft, Hyppogloflus, RondcL 

 t Vide Will, jn Pilcem, 



