226 SALT-WATER FISHES 



II. — Group with Equal Development of Teeth on 



Both Sides 



The next two fishes represent the second group, with 

 a much larger mouth and an equal development of teeth on 

 both sides. 



The Halibut * (Hippoglossus vulgaris), pronounced " Holi- 

 but," is. the largest flat-fish in existence, and is said to exceed a 

 length of 20 ft. Specimens of over 7 ft., and weighing two or 

 three hundred pounds, have often been recorded. 



The halibut is less like the typical flat-fish than any of the 

 rest, even than the allied long rough dab. 



The mouth is large, and there are teeth of equal size and 

 number in both sides of the jaws. The skin is perfectly 

 smooth, and the lateral line curves somewhat abruptly round 

 the pectoral fin. 



In colour, the halibut is very dark green or brown above, 

 with mottlings ; the under side pure white. 



It is a more northern fish than any of our other flat-fishes, 

 for it does not occur, so far as is known, south of the English 

 Channel, though common in Iceland seas, and in fact in the 

 Arctic waters of three continents. It also inhabits deep water, 

 up to 120 fathoms. On our own coasts, therefore, the halibut 

 is most plentiful in the north-east. It feeds on fish and large 

 crustaceans. 



The spawning-time covers at any rate the period between 

 April and August, and probably even longer. Mr. Holt 

 first described the egg of the halibut in 1892. It varies 

 considerably in size, but an average egg measures -^ in. 

 There is no oil-globule, and the egg is clearly of the buoyant 

 kind, though it has not actually been seen floating in the water, 

 Mr. Holt having obtained only dead eggs from a fish in the 

 market at Grimsby. Dr. Wemyss Fulton subsequently 



* This is the " turbot" of Scotch fishmongers, just as their " sole " is 

 the lemon dab ! 



