4 THE ZOOLOOIST. 



under side uppermost, was slightly different in shape. On 

 reversing it I found the thick or dorsal half was very much in 

 appearance and texture like the Flounder; the "lower" half 

 was freckled and decorated with the small knob-like processes 

 seen on the Turbot. The ventral spine of the Flounder parent 

 was present, but proportionately thicker and shorter. It con- 

 tained roe. Length 17 inches ; width 9|- inches ; weight 2£ lb. 

 I purchased the fish, and had it fried for my dinner, finding the 

 flesh firm, and more like the Plaice in flavour. The big 

 "breeches" (sexual organs) I could not decide to be either roe 

 or milt, until having fried them, the globules of ova came out 

 distinctly enough under a lens. 



January 28th. — Saw an example of the Lemon Sole (Solea 

 lascaris) "paired" with a Common Sole, on sale on a fish- 

 slab. 



Plaice Notes. — On January 30th I saw several Plaice, all 

 of the same size, and it is more than probable they were of the 

 same brood, with patches of the olive green upon the under 

 surface. These were decorated by red spots corresponding with 

 those in size and position on the upper surface. I have before 

 noticed that when a Plaice has been taken exhibiting blotches 

 below, there are almost invariably others turning up of a similar 

 peculiarity and of exactly the self-same size. A left-handed 

 Plaice was shown me by a fishmonger, who was at the moment 

 cleaning a number of the species. He noticed it immediately 

 he started to behead it for filleting. He had to turn the fish 

 about. 



February 2nd. — A fine Ballan Wrass, the colour of a Tench, 

 was placed in my hands. There was some considerable excite- 

 ment created at Corton in April over the advent of another 

 Ballan Wrass, eight inches long. The village correspondent 

 sent a glowing account of it to the local paper, in which he 

 describes its " gorgeous colouring, green, gold, and blue running 

 riot over an olive green ground. It was exhibited to all and 

 sundry, but even fishermen of experience could not name it, 

 never having met its like before." It was finally booked as a 

 Gilthead, but my young friend, Mr. F. C. Cook, biked over from 

 Lowestoft, and was fortunate in seeing it before it was destroyed. 

 He immediately identified it as Labrus maculatus. I have not 



