Class IV. HOLIBUT FLOUNDER. 303 



They are common in the London markets, 

 where they are exposed to sale cut into large 

 pieces ; but are very coarse eating, excepting 

 the part which adheres to the side iins, which 

 is extremely fat and delicious, but surfeiting. 

 They are the most voracious of all flat fish. 

 Two instances occurred in one year of their 

 swallowing the lead weight at the end of a line, 

 with which the seamen were sounding the bot- 

 tom from on board a ship, one off Flamborough 

 Head, the other going into Tinmouth Haven : 

 the latter was taken, the other disengaged 

 itself. 



The holibut, in respect to its length, is the Descrip- 

 narrowest of any of this genus except the sole. 

 It is perfectly smooth, and free from spines 

 either above or below. The color of the upper 

 part is dusky ; beneath of a pure white. We 

 do not count the rays of the fins in this genus, 

 not only because they are so numerous, but be- 

 cause nature hath given to each species charac- 

 ters sufficient to distinguish them by. 



" The body on the upper side thickens 

 abruptly from the dorsal fin j the color brown 

 with marbled spots of a lighter shade. Th6 

 eyes are supported upon a moveable process 

 rising out of a large oval frame or socket ; the 

 irides bright yellow. The side line plainly 



