THE HALIBUT: SPAWNTING HABITS. 11)7 



to the first of September, they are found here with the ovaries very large, aud are often seen with 

 the ova and milt exuding. The ovaries of a large fish are too heavy to be lifted by a man, without 

 considerable exertion, being often two feet or more in length. At this time very little food is 

 found in their stomachs. In September, 1878, the Fish Commission obtained from Captain Collins 

 the roes of a fish weighing from 190 to 200 pounds, taken by the schooner " Marion" on the 13th 

 of the month on Quereau Bank. This fish was taken at the depth of 200 fathoms, and the temper- 

 ature of the water was roughly recorded at 30° F. These ovaries were put into a basket with 

 ice and brought to the laboratory of the Fish Commission, where they were found to weigh seven- 

 teen pounds, two ounces. Part of the eggs were nearly ripe, and separated readily, while others 

 were immature aud closely adherent to each other. A portion of the roe, representing a fair aver- 

 age of the size of the eggs, was weighed, aud was fonnd to contain 2,185 eggs; the weight of this 

 portion was two drams. The total number of eggs was from this estimated to be 2,182,773. It 

 is not yet known whether the eggs float or rest upon the bottom, nor is it known how long is the 

 period of incubation, nor what is the rate of growth of the fish. As has already been mentioned, 

 young fish are very unusual; the smallest ever seen by Captain Ashby in Southern New England 

 was taken on Nantucket Shoals, and weigb.ad two and a half pounds after it had been eviscerated. 



Abnormal individxjals. — Left-handjd Halibut are sometimes taken. Perhaps one out of 

 five thousand is thus abnormal in its form, having the eyes upon the left rather than upon the 

 riglit hand side of the head. 



Halibut with dark spots or patches on the under side of the same dark color as the back are 

 occasionally taken. These are called by the fishermen "Circus Halibut." They are generally of 

 medium size, and thick, well-fed fish. 



61. THE SAND DAB, OR ROUGH DAB. 



The Sand Dab, or Eough Dab, Hvppoglossoides platessoides, also sometimes known as the Rusty 

 Flounder, is taken in winter by the line fishermen of New England, and small quantities are doubt- 

 less brought to market and sold with other flat fishes without discrimination as to species. It 

 often attains the length of twenty to twenty-four inches, and the weight of two to five pounds, 

 and is, in all respects, a desirable food-fish, being highly esteemed on the other side of the Atlantic. 

 In summer, individuals of this species are to be found only in very deep water, thirty fathoms or 

 more, on the New England coast, and, though never very abundant in any one locality, might be 

 taken in considerable quantities, in company with the Pole Flounder, by the use of a trawl-net, or 

 even by specially devised trawl-lines. 



The Rough Dab has not been observed south of Wood's Holl, Massachusetts, but ranges north 

 to Greenland, is abundant on the English coast, and is a well-known food-fish of Scandinavia. Its 

 breeding habits in our waters have not been observed, but in Southern Sweden the spawning time 

 is in April and May. It is a large-mouthed species, feeding upon fish as well as upon large inverte- 

 brates, such as crustaceans and annelids, and mention has been made of it more on account of ita 

 possible value in the future than for its present importance. 



62. THE GREENLAND TURBOT. 



The Greenland Turbot, Plafysomatichthys hippoglossoides, though never occurring in our inshore 

 waters, is found on the off-shore banks, as far south as George's Bank, and a certain quantity of 

 them is usually brought to New York every winter. It is emphatically an arctic species, being 

 abundant on the coast of Greenland, often found at Holsteinborg and beyond, and along this 

 entire coast very eagerly sought by the natives. The Eskimo name is " Kalleraglik," and the 

 fish is also known as "Little Halibut." In Giinther's great work on "The Fishes of the British 



