FISH AND FISHERIES. 79 
Mr. Lee Lord, in a paper sent to the Royal Commission, gives an 
equally interesting account of this fish He says:—‘“TI procure it in 
large numbers at the mouth of Cook’s River, and also near the mouth 
of Shea’s Creek, where the water is shallow. The depth varies from 4 
feet to 12 feet, but averages about 6 feet. My mode of capture is with 
the net or spear, for they never take the hook. I use a spear 12 feet 
‘long, with one steel spike at the end 9 inches long, without a barb and 
quite smooth, as in this way the fish is not torn or injured. The water 
requires to be as smooth as glass, so that the bottom or sand may be 
easily seen, and the early morning is the best time. Low tide is most 
suitable, for the boat is then more easily managed and the water not so 
deep. When the tide is not too strong I propel the boat with the spear, 
so as to follow along the banks and holes where the fish lie ; if a strong 
tide, allow the boat to drift. They lie in the sand, mostly covered all 
over, but some only partially, when they are very easily seen. As they 
feed the sand is disturbed, and I find them either in holes about 4 feet 
square and 6 inches deep, or else by following their tracks along the 
banks. By the latter method I have often gone 15 yards before finding 
the fish. The first method is the most common, and in some of these 
holes I have taken four fish (for if you spear one, the other will not 
move till touched). Inthe summer months they usually feed along the 
edge of the channel ; in winter they go into a little deeper water, and I 
find them then generally just inside the ledges or banks of sand formed 
by the tide ; they are more difficult to find. 
“On the 2Ist February last I speared 24 dozen in less than 14 hour, 
the best lot I ever procured, nearly all the same size, very fat, and full 
of roe. Those who tasted them pronounced them the most excellent 
they had ever seen. In January, February, March, April, October, and 
November I have always got large numbers,—as many as five dozen 
before breakfast,—and in these months I have found them most plentiful, 
sometimes in one part sometimes in another, say fully 1 mile apart. 
In the winter months, May, June, and July, I have taken large numbers, 
averaging 14 to 2 dozen per day, but the fish is not then such good eating. 
“‘The appearance of the sole is oval-shaped, with little or no tail, grey 
colour, very much the colour of the bottom; many are spotted all over 
the top side, and get darker after being out of the water some time. 
The bottom side is quite white; the eye is very prominent, and often 
looks like a pearl on the sand, and is sometimes the only method of 
distinguishing the fish. 
“To prepare for cooking they require to be placed in boiling water from 
ten to fifteen seconds, when the skin begins to come away from the outer 
edge, and is then easily drawn off top and bottom, with a dry cloth, from 
the tail to the head. The skin will not come off without scalding water.” 
The Hon. W. Macleay, who has always taken a very active interest in 
our fishes, has held the opinion that the Plewronectide are notless frequent 
in our own seas than any others. As however they are all ground fishes 
and except in the spawning season always keep in deep water, and 
seldom take a bait, the only way to capture them is by the use of the trawl 
net. The experiment had not been previously tried except in a clumsy 
