conservation, since it is not a successful spawning place and also 
since the growth of the fish there is very rapid. As the plaice 
becomes mature at a length of about six inches, a limit as low as 
nine inches will still leave a large number of spawning fish. 
RELATION OF WEIGHT TO LENGTH. 
In figure 4 is seen a curve which shows the average relation of 
weight to length in the plaice fresh from the water. The weight 
after shipment is a_ trifle 
less. To a certain extent 
the weight increases as the 
; cube of the length, that is, 
if the length is doubled (x2), 
the weight is increased to 
‘ eight times the former amount 
(x2?) Dhisi, is notyy hows 
ever, altogether exact, since 
the shape of the fish changes 
with age, the width increas- 
ing more rapidly than the 
length. 
6 
Weight in pounds. 
There is considerable vari- 
1 ation in the weight of fish 
of the same length, as is 
shown by the fact that one 
ey ET @ 18 inches long, though prob- 
Fic. 4.—Average relation of weight to ably weighing Pilbs i OZ., 
length in the plaice. might weigh as much as 2 
Ibs. 2 oz., or as little as 1 lb. 10 oz., or even less if opened up and 
drained. 
RO kt 
WASTE. 
As the head is small and the guts or viscera not bulky, there is 
less waste in the preparation of the plaice for cooking than is the 
case with most fishes. Also the arrangement of the flesh is most 
convenient for eating, for owing to its peculiar shape there is a thick 
layer of flesh, entirely free from bones, on both the upper and the 
lower (really the right and the left) sides of the flattened backbone. 
11 
