CHAPTER IX. 



ACANTHINI PlEURONECTOIDEI. 

 The head is asymmetrical. 



The Flounder Family. Pleuronectidae. 



The Halibut. {Hippoglossus vulgaris, Flem.) 



The halibut is the largest of the flounder- tribe, and in its 

 adult condition frequents the deep water, where it is usually 

 caught by hook and line, though specimens also occur in the 

 trawl. Stretching from the North Sea to both shores of 

 America, the range of this large fish is most extensive, yet in 

 modern times it is by no means frequent off the east coast of 

 Scotland, the supplies coming from Shetland and the more 

 distant grounds, especially Iceland and the Faroes. The 

 Grimsby ships often bring 700 of them — ranging from over 

 6 feet to 18 inches— in a single trip. 



Though thus well known in the market, the ripe eggs 

 had up till 1892 escaped description. The spawning-period 

 given by Parnell in his Fishes of the Forth is spring. J. Couch, 

 again, does not refer to the subject, though R. Couch 

 gives April as the spawning-period. Malm found one of 

 131 lbs. with "running" roe on the 26th of April, and ripe 

 males (3^ to 6J lbs.) in spring. He estimated the number of 

 eggs as about three millions and a half Buckland quotes the 

 period mentioned by Parnell, and adds that the roe is of a pale 



