Flat'fishes 



645 



I'huto by n: XavUle-Kcil, KZ.a.] {MilfOi-d-on.Sm. 



BRILL. 



in the turbot, the ejes iire on the k-tt side o( the head, instead u£ on the right side, as in the 



lialibut. 



ii mirror at the bottom the 

 under-surface ^yas found in 

 many cases to be very largely 

 coloured. But the colour of 

 the upper-surface is by no 

 means constant. On the con- 

 trary, the flat-fish a})pears to 

 possess the power, in comnron 

 with all other fishes, of chang- 

 ing its colour so as to harmon- 

 ise with the tone of its sur- 

 roundings. Thus on a light 

 sandy ground the exposed 

 surface of the body becomes 

 pale, while on a dark muddy 

 bottom it is almost black. 

 By this power of changing 

 the colour of the exposed 

 portion of the body so as to 

 harmonise with the surround- 

 ings, the fish i- enabled to 

 become in a large measure 

 invisible, and in ptroiiortion 

 to the effectiveness of the change to escape its enemies. Some soles are quite invisible. 



The most important of the Hat-fishes are the Plaice, Flodnder, Dab, Halibut, Sole, 

 ToRBOT, and Ijkill. 



The Plaice is one of the commonest of the British flat-fishes, and may be distinguished 

 by the numerous orange or red spots which are scattered over the ui)per surface of the body. 

 P'rom 15 to 18 inches in length, specimens are occasionally captured which have attained a 

 length of 28 inches. Plaice feed on shell-fish, such as mussels or scallops, which they crush 

 by means of strong, blunt teeth in the throat ; but worms are also eaten. 



The eggs of the plaice are amongst the largest fish-eggs known. 



The Flounder is a smaller fish than the plaice, and lacks the red spots. It differs from 

 the other flat-fishes in the pireference it shows for the mouths of rivers, ascending these, 

 indeed, so far as to enter fresli-water. 



The Halibut is the largest of the flat-fishes, specimens of as mucli as 20 feet in lengtli being 

 on record, while examples of from 6 to 7 feet long are not imcommon in (irimsby market. 

 This fish has a wide distribution, occurring on botli sides of the North Atlantic and Isorth 

 Pacific, being most abundant in deeji water. The halibut which are brouglit into the markets 

 of Grimsby and Hull are chiefly caught off the coasts of Iceland and the Faroes with 

 long lines. 



The Sole is a shallow-water fish, feeding chiefly upon worms, craljs, and shrimps. These 

 it apparently hunts by smell, gliding oxer the sea-bottom, and tapping with the lower side 

 of its head, which is provided with sensitive organs of touch in the shape of filaments. By day 

 it conceals itself liy burrowing in the sand, coming out after dark to feed. 



The Turbot resembles the brill, from which it may be distinguished by the greater breadth 

 of the body in proportion to the length, the absence of scales, and the presence of large bony 

 tubercles scattered over the surface. In Great Britain the turbot is most abundant in the 

 English Channel. 



The Brill closely resembles the turbot not only in general form, but in the numerical 

 superiority of the females, and in the habits of the young, which, like the turbot, are surface- 

 feeders and possess an air-bladder. 



