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and pelagic fish, they are c. 10 — 12""" long. With a length of 12""" many 

 have already attained the flat-fish form (white on one. coloured on the 

 other side; the position of the eye settled) and live on the sand near the 

 shores. It seems as if there is already here some difference in the growth 

 of the various individuals, so that they are not exactly of the same length 

 when the development from a pelagic fish to a bottom-fish is going on, 

 but it may take place at c. 10 and at 12 (13)""". 



At the pelagic stage, after the yolk has been absorbed, it cannot be 

 kept alive in aquariums; at this stage the larvae must be caught in open 

 nature, and this is not always easy. Though I have searched eagerly 1 

 have been unable to find them in greater numbers (only 10 — 20).! when 

 they afterwards live on the sand they are common enough. — This pelagic 

 stage, while the eye is changing place, is the least known period in the 

 life of the plaice; already at this stage almost all the rays in the dorsal, 

 anal, and caudal tins are being developed, so that they are easily distinguished 

 from Pleur. flesus by means of the number of rays. (More about this later on). 



The plaice then is born from the egg e. 6 — 7""" long, and is found 

 mi the sand already when c. 12""". Is it possible, indeed, that the larval 

 lish of the first laid eggs, in November, which must, consequently, lie 

 supposed to be hatched early in December, not till the month of May next 

 year have been developed and have grown c. 6 miu ? that, consequently, some 

 require half ayearto grow from 6 to 12""" and pass through their development V 



When they are not to be found on the sand-banks before that time, 

 and it lias not been possible for me to Hud them there though I have 

 searched lor them diligently, we must almost think so, if they have not 

 somehow understood to hide away on deeper water where, certainly. Ihave 

 been fishing but very little in early spring with fishing-gear thai can catch 

 such little lish: but as the development from pelagic to non pelagic plaice 

 is going on also at a later lime in April and May (June) of the eggs which 

 have been shed in March and April they must certainly have been ob- 

 served at that time, if on the whole they were to be found on the deep. 



They are found on the shores, that is a, fact, and they are never found 

 on the deep (2 — 3 — 4 — 10 fathoms); even the succeeding sizes (up to 1 — l 1 ., 

 inch) are found on quite shallow water only, so I cannot help believing 

 that the little plaice never live on tin- bottom an deeper water: nor have I ever 

 in literature seen stated that they do so: all statements agree on this point, 

 that they live immediately on the shore. 



It is therefore a remarkably lone- time die lish, which are born in 



