Suborder Heterosomata 497 
certainly known from American waters, although numerous in 
Europe and Asia. The species have much in common with 
the plaice tribe of flounders and may be derived from the same 
stock. One species, as above noted, is found in the Miocene. 
The common sole of Europe, Solea solea, is one of the best 
of food-fishes, reaching a length, according to Dr. Gill, of twenty- 
six inches and a weight of nine pounds. As usually seen in 
the markets it rarely exceeds a pound. It is found from Nor- 
way to Italy, and when properly cooked is very tender and 
delicate, superior to any of the flounders. According to Dr. 
Francis Day, it appears to prefer sandy or gravelly shores, 
but is rather uncertain in its migrations, for, although mostly 
appearing at certain spots almost at a given time, and usually 
decreasing in numbers by degrees, in other seasons they dis- 
appear at once, as suddenly as they arrive. Along the British 
seacoast they retire to the deep as frosts set in, revisiting the 
shallows about May if the weather is warm, their migrations 
being influenced by temperature. The food of the sole is to a 
considerable extent molluscous, but it is also said to eat the 
eggs and fry of other fishes and sea-urchins 
The spawning season is late in the year and during the 
spring months. The ova are in moderate number; a sole of 
one pound weight has, according to Buckland, about 134,000 
eggs. The newly hatched, according to Dr. Day, do not appear 
to be commonly found so far out at sea as some other species. 
They enter into shallow water at the edge of the tide and are 
very numerous in favorable localities. 
As is well known, the sole is one of the most esteemed 
of European fishes. In the words of Dr. Day, ‘‘ the flesh of this 
fish is white, firm, and of excellent flavor, those from the deepest 
waters being generally preferred. Those on the west coast 
and to the south are larger, as a rule, than those towards the 
north of the British islands. In addition to its use as food, 
it is available for another purpose. The skin is used for fining 
coffee, being a good substitute for isinglass, and also as a 
material for artificial baits. 
“The markets are generally supplied by the trawl. The 
principal English trawling-ground lies from Dover to Devonshire. 
They may be taken by spillers, but are not commonly captured 
1I— 32 
