Twelve fish from 13 to 24 inches in length and from 10 oz. to 5 Ibs. 
in weight were prepared without any attempt to retain a large 
proportion of the weight. The head, guts, fins, and scales were 
removed and the body washed. The weight after preparation 
amounted to about 60%, as an average value, of the weight fresh 
from the water, and if fish from the market had been taken, the 
proportion would have been still greater. 
PALATABILITY. 
The plaice is sweet and of fine flavour, is not oily, but rather 
similar to the flounder or sole, though having a distinctive texture 
and flavour. Although not the same, it is as nearly like the British 
plaice as is any fish that we have. We have eaten it at the coast and 
also as obtained in the Toronto markets and consider it excellent. 
It will undoubtedly win a place of its own on our markets, if only 
it be made known and a sufficiently large supply furnished to meet 
the demand that is created. 
SEASON. 
It is suitable for use throughout the year, seeing that it lives in 
such cold water, but it is in better condition in the fall and winter 
after the season’s growth and before the spring spawning condition 
is reached. Also from the standpoint of shipping conditions the 
cold part of the year is preferable, but from December to April it 
will not be possible to obtain it in the gulf of St. Lawrence because 
of the ice, although to the south it will usually be possible to get it 
at any time of the year. 
MATURITY. 
We have not been able to find out as definitely as we could wish 
at just what size the plaice first becomes ripe, since one spawning 
season was over before we began this study and the next has not 
yet come. Fulton, and also Holt, found that the European variety 
becomes ripe at a length of about six inches, both males and females. 
Of fish taken in Passamaquoddy bay in the fall of 1917 some of 
both males and females were beginning to be ripe, but none shorter 
than five inches were becoming at all ripe. Those five inches long 
at that time would probably have reached a length of six inches 
on the arrival of the spawning season of 1918. 
12 
