THE HALIBUT. 373 



1828, and sent to the Edinburgh market. It measured 

 seven feet six inches in length, three feet six inches in 

 breadth, and weighed three hundred and twenty pounds. 

 It seems most voracious, and subsists principally on Crus- 

 tacea and small fish. Pennant states that two instances oc- 

 curred in one year of its swallowing the lead weight at the 

 end of a line with which the seamen were sounding ; one off 

 Flamborough Head, the other going into Tynemouth Haven. 

 In the latter instance the fish was taken, in the former it dis- 

 engaged itself. The Halibut, in the Firth of Forth, inhabits 

 deep and rocky places, and is frequently taken of large size 

 near Inchkeith, and in the neighbourhood of the Bass. In the 

 months of July and August, specimens are caught about a 

 foot and a half in length, and sold in the Edinburgh mar- 

 ket at the rate of fourpence a pound, where they are named 

 Halibut-Turbot, and are frequently disposed of as turbot. 

 The large individuals are considered coarse and dry eating ; 

 the part which adheres to the side fin is esteemed the best, 

 and by some is regarded as a very delicious morsel. They 

 spawn in spring. 



Genus RHOMBUS. — Both eyes on the left side, dorsal 

 fin commencing in front of the right eye. 



Rhombus maximus.* — The Turbot. 



Specific Character. — Upper surface of the body with prominent os- 

 seous tubercles. 



Description. — From a specimen fifteen inches in length. Breadth, 

 fins included, eleven inches ; head one-third of the length of the 

 body, caudal not included ; body of a rhomboidal form approaching 

 to round. Colour of the upper surface yellowish-brown, mottled 



" Rhombus maximus, Cuv., Yarr. Pleuronectes maximus, Penn., Jen., 

 Flem. Rawn Fluke, Bannock Fluke. 



