THE PLAICE. H)3 



Mr. Yarrell, in dwelling upon the manifold evidences of design in the 

 Pleiironectidce, or Hat-tishes, remarks, " having little or no means of de- 

 fence, had their colour been placed only above the lateral line on each 

 .side (i. e. in accordance with its disposition on ordinarily formed fishes), in 

 whatever position they moved, their piebald appearance would have ren- 

 dered them conspicuous objects to all their enemies," — vol. ii. p. 298, 2nd 

 ed. Even further than this ])rovision is made for their safety, at least when 

 in a young state. My friend Dr. J. L. Drummond informs me that he has 

 particularly remarked young plaice in Larne Lough to accord in colour 

 with the bottom which they frequent, viz. those on a sandy bottom 

 being of the colour of t\\^ sand, and those on muddy ground the colour 

 of the mud — in each case being hardly distinguishable except when in 

 motion. 



Mr. Yarrell (vol. ii. 304) notices flounders so changing; and, it may be 

 presumed, of all sizes. 



Some friends resident in Banffshire and other parts of the eastern coast 

 of Scotland have informed me that the plaice (so called by them) is held 

 in such little estimation that they never saw it brought to table. It how- 

 ever served another purpose, as all the examples that were available were 

 opened for the beautiful shells found in their stomachs. Some of these, 

 Avhich were preserved and kindly sent me by C. G. M. Skinner, Esq., 

 were finely coloured examples of the Pecten obsoletus. Mr. S. remarks, 

 that these shells have been obtained from the stomach of the plaice in 

 the Moray Firth, and on the E. coast of Scotland generally.* 



Mr. B. Meenan considers that trawling has diminished the number of 

 fishes of all kinds that spawn where the trawl is used, although ground 

 that has been dredged over is the best to shoot lines on for cod-fish, &c., 

 as the latter go there to feed, 'n consequence, apparently, of food being- 

 turned up. On " foul ground " great numbers of fiat-fish are taken along 

 the Antrim and Down coasts on long lines. Lug-worms and pieces of the 

 flesh of conger-eels and herrings, especially the latter, are used for bait. 



The llev. G. M. Black told me, that by trawling on a forenoon in the 

 summer of 1842, at lied Bay (Co. Antrim), he took upAvards of four 

 hundred good-sized plaice ; they were captured on a beautifully clean 

 sandy bottom, the net coming up pure as possible. 



With reference to the season at which the plaice spawns, 1 may men- 

 tion that on 1 Jan., 1835, an example only 3 inches in length was sent to 

 me from the Down coast. I have examined specimens 2 inches in length, 

 and found them to agree in fin-rays and all other characters of form with 

 the adult fish. 



Food. My notes on the food found in plaice are as follow : 



Of specimens taken in Belfast Bay, July, 1S38. Stomach and intestines 

 of a plaice examined by Dr. J. L. D. and myself, crammed with Tellhm 

 tenuis, with the exception of one or two fragments of minute shells of 

 Mactrn so/ida. Same month one examined filled entirely with shells of 

 the Mj/fihis cdulis about 4 an inch in length, ^■liujust, contents the same. 

 3farch '.i[)f}i. Of two individuals examined, one was entirely filled with 

 the young of Mtitilus ednlis, of which the exami)les only two or three lines 

 in length displayed the dark blue stripes from apex to base of shell, that 



* The Chinis (PectenidcB) are rare witli us. excciitinii the small /'. obsoletu.i, 

 wliich is llu" lavourile food of the flounder, from the stomach of wIul-Ii many 

 specimens ran genurally be obtained. — /;>•. Jvhnston, Bow. Xut. <'h(b, 1H35, 

 1>. 80. 



