TRACHTPTERID^. 219 



and that its habits resemble tbose of flat-fishes. Some are thrown ashore after 

 storms, a few are taken during the autumn in the herring nets ; but at other 

 seasons they are believed to frequent deeper waters. They have been seen at the 

 bottom in two or three fathoms of water where the fishermen hook them up with 

 the implement employed to raise dead seals. They move something like a flat- 

 fish, with one side turned obliquely upwards, the other (the left) being towards 

 the ground. The Finland fishermen say that when alive it is very fat and its 

 sides round ; but the fat is so liquid and oily that it runs from the body as soon 

 as the fish dies. The Russians at Archangel are said to purchase them for the fat 

 they contain. 



As food. — Observed by Mr. Strang to be eaten in the Orkneys. 



Habitat. — From Iceland to the Orkneys and shores of the British Isles. 



Fleming describing one from the island of Sanday in the Orkneys, taken in 

 1829, quotes a letter from Dr. Duguid, who observes : " Mr. Strang tells me that 

 two or three specimens have been found on the shores of the island this winter, as 

 well as on former occasions, and in 1851 that he had obtained seven or eight since 

 1829 : on the whole, however, they are of rare occurrence." December 2nd, 1817, 

 one 4| feet long was found on the beach at Sanday by Mr. Lindsay • 1847, one 

 3 feet long at Burghhead, Moray Firth (Martin), where Dr. Gordon, Zool. 

 p. 3460, alludes to the capture of two. April, 1872, one 5 feet lOf inches long 

 was captured in the stake nets at Montrose, and is now in the Museum : Mr. E.eid, 

 of Wick, mentions having obtained three specimens (Buckland) ; also in 1849, one 

 in the Firth of Forth. In January 18th, 1844, one 3 feet 5 inches long was 

 obtained on the coast of Northumberland and placed in the Newcastle Museum. 

 April 7th, 1848, one was found dead at Blie, but quite fresh (D. 176). On 

 October 8th, 1879, one 53 inches iu length was taken by a fisherman in a draught 

 net in Holkham Bay, on the Norfolk coast (Southwell), it is now in the Norwich 

 Museum. 



In Ireland. — One 7 feet 9 inches long : tail only 5 inches : greatest depth 

 15j inches ; greatest thickness 2? inches, was washed ashore at Bundoran on the 

 southern shore of Donegal Bay in 1875 (Zool. Feb. p. 4343). 



The figure on plate Ixiii is taken from the specimen in the Montrose Museum, 

 which is 5 feet 10^ inches in length. The longest British example recorded is 

 7f feet long, but the fish is said to attain to several feet more. 



