PLEURONECTID^. 27 



Habits. — In the Orkneys, according to Low, it keeps mucli to sand banks 

 and muddy ground. During the summer months on the east coast of Scotland 

 it appears to frequent rocky localities, but in February and March seeks sandy 

 places where it can deposit its spawn. In Cornwall it has been observed to 

 select water of a moderate depth, and in May to arrive inshore, also in the autumn 

 it is found in shoals in the quiet bays, but when the frost sets in it retires to the 

 deep. ^ When disturbed it will shoot away suddenly for a short distance, and can 

 work itself rapidly into the sand where it lies concealed with only its eyes being 

 apparent. Has great tenacity of life ; one 10 inches long taken in January lived 

 thirty hours after removal from the water : it was kept ten hours in a very warm 

 room where it lay all the time on a dry plate (Thompson). 



Thompson found in the intestinal canal of some taken in Belfast Bay, Tellina 

 tenuis, fragments of Maotria solida and Mytilus edulis. In June large ones 

 contained some Aphrodita aculeata, portions of Buccinum wmdatum, with the 

 remains of Decapod Crustacea, April Lucina radula, &o. 



In East Eriesland it has been transferred to freshwater ponds where it thrives. 



Means of capture.—Low says that in the Orkneys " a few are caught on small 

 lines made on purpose ; but they are not much sought after." Around the British* 

 coast they are taken by lines or beam trawls. Spillers also are shot in sheltered 

 sandy bays, the bait employed being the lug-worm or a mollusc removed from its 

 shell. 



They are speared in the seas of northern Europe where the water is very clear, 

 heavily leaded doubly barbed spears being employed according to Pontoppidan. 



Breeding. — The plaice appears usually to breed about February and March, but 

 sometimes in autumn and early winter. On February 4th this year, 1882, I 

 obtained a male, which weighed l^- lb., full of milt. Mr. Jackson, in sending some 

 ova of this fish to Mr. Buckland, remarked that they were obtained from a ripe 

 and enormously distended female in one of the tanks in the Southport Aquarium. 

 The oya ran freely, and at first floated on the surface, but when the vessel was 

 perfectly still they slowly settled to the bottom. The slightest motion of the 

 water occasioned them to float. The young are " first seen in April, close to land, 

 swimming on the surface of the sea, on their edge, with an eye on each side. 

 In about a week after being first seen, they may be found in pools near the shore, 

 about the size of a baby's finger nail" (Dunn). Buckland found that a plaice 

 which weighed 41b. 15 oz. contained lib. 9 oz. of roe, or 144,600 eggs, which 

 were of a large size as compared with those of the turbot. Thompson obtained 

 examples 3 inches long in January, 1835. 



lAfe history. — The opinion was formerly entertained that the plaice is descended 

 from a shrimp, and Dr. Deslandes investigated the subject. He first placed some 

 of the shrimps in a vessel of salt water, and after twelve or thirteen days he 

 discovered eight or nine young plaice. The nest year be placed some of these fish 

 in two different salt-water receptacles, and to one lot he added a few of the shrimps, 

 not so to the other. Both lots spawned, but it was only where the shrimps were 

 that any young were produced. On examining the shrimps, he discovered the 

 ova attached to the under surface of these crustaceans, and he felt persuaded that 

 their maternal care is a necessity for bringing forth the fry. But Lacepede 

 suggested that the shrimps eat the ova of flat-fishes, and some may become glued 

 to their under surface when they are unable to devour them. Comparatively rare 

 as the male is, as already observed, I obtained one full of milt in February, 1882. 

 Respecting how it is that in some localities the number of plaice appears to have 

 decreased (see page 37). 



As food. — This fish is in the best condition about May, and Mr. Mayhew 

 computed that upwards of three millions are annually consumed in London. Off 

 Devonshire its quality, observes Parfitt, depends upon the nature of the ground 

 on which it is captured, for, if muddy or sandy, tbe taste partakes more or less of 

 either. When from sand it is firm and sweet ; if from mud, the reverse. In 

 Banffshire it is held in little estimation ; it is usually deemed poor as food, but 

 bears carriage well. In Ireland, however, Thompson states that it is held in 

 general esteem. 



