NAME. 
The fish that we are considering is known scientifically by the 
Latin name of Hippoglossoides platessoides, which on translation 
into English is the ‘halibut-like plaice-like’ fish, for Hippoglossus 
is the name of the halibut, Platessa that of the plaice, and the 
ending -oides means likeness. The first part of the name is sig- 
nificant, because our plaice is more nearly related to the halibut 
than to any other of our fishes. The last part shows that Fabricius, 
the man who was the first to name it and describe it from specimens 
he obtained in Greenland, saw that it resembled the original plaice, 
which is found only in European waters. 
The common names that have been used for this fish are legion 
and none find very general acceptance. The small European 
variety (var. limandoides) is usually known by the following names 
in the several countries listed. England,—Long Rough Dab; Scot- 
land,—Lang Fleuk; Ireland,—Smeareen ; Holland,—Lange Schar (= 
, Long Dab); Denmark,—Haaising (=Shark Dab); Norway,—Ler- 
flyndre (=Clay Flounder); Sweden,—Storgapen (= Big Mouth). 
To our fishermen it is known as Sand Dab, Turbot, Flounder, Plaice, 
or Plie (to many of the French fishermen), while on the Toronto 
markets it is exposed for sale as Flounder or Sole. The use of all 
these names means that this fish is constantly confused with other 
kinds, for the term flounder is more often given to a very different 
kind of flatfish that is speared in shallow water, while a third species, 
that lives in deep water and cannot take the hook because of its 
small mouth, alone should be called sole. 
We should undoubtedly use only one name for this fish and that 
one should be both distinctive of the kind and also quite free from 
objection. Since Plaice is one of the names already in use for the 
species and not given commonly to any other fish in our waters, 
it is by far the most suitable one for general adoption, particularly 
in the trade. To avoid any confusion with other kinds, which are 
given this name in other countries, it would be well to prefix the 
adjective Canadian, and therefore we have used the name Canadian 
Plaice on our title page. 
RECOGNITION. 
The flatfishes are all easily recognized by the long fins, one 
along each edge of the body, as well as by the very flat shape. 
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