THE POLE. 
199 
two very small specimens of hake ( Merlucius vulgaris) about a foot in 
length : all were captured at the same haul. The four last-named speci- 
mens I bought, together with seven of the Poles. Of these, four were 
between 14 and 15 inches long, two between 15 and 16, and one 16f 
inches in length. All but one were females. In the largest the ova were of 
the greatest size, or 1-1 6th of an inch each in diameter : in the others they 
were very well developed. Of their stomachs, 1 was empty, 3 contained 
only the remains each of one ascidia-like animal, 1 fragments of a shell 
(Solen pellucidus) and a Planaria-like worm, and 2 contained each the 
remains of one crustacean. The under side of the head in all was marked 
with numerous dimples of the size that a pea would make. 
The form of the body and height of the D. and A. fins varied consider- 
ably, as in those before examined, though in that case they were generally 
males, as in this they are females. The fins are not lower in these 
females than they were in the males then examined : in this respect there 
is no sexual difference. 
On inquiry of the man who brought these fish from Newcastle, he said, 
such a take of White Sole, as he called them (and as they were named in 
the market by the dealers), had never been known there before, and he 
had for many years been a fisherman. About 70 more of these fishes had 
been taken at the same time, although not brought to Belfast. He never 
before knew more than “ an odd one ” to be captured. The Whiff he would 
include under the name offthe White Sole, I presume, as he had not re- 
marked the individual I got to differ from the others. 
The Pole being unknown in the market here, they met with a miserable 
sale. I bought 4 of the best for Is. (sole would have been 4s.) on the 
first day, and the next day I saw about 35 couple that seemed unsaleable. 
We had five of them dressed for dinner, and considered them passably 
good fish, but not at all flavoured like, nor equal to, the sole. Cuvier 
remarks that in Paris the PL Pola is as much esteemed as the sole ; but 
it is not so in Ireland. In Dublin, where the White Sole is well known, it 
is reckoned so inferior that the cry of the peripatetic fishwomen is, “ had- 
dock and black sole,” by which latter name the Solea vulgaris is distin- 
guished from its lighter-coloured congener. They are much thinner than 
soles ; indeed I would think that almost twice as much food is on a sole 
of equal size as on one of them. To close sales, 54 of the lot already 
mentioned and of considerable size were on the second day sold for 2s. 
The Holibut, Hippoglossus vulgaris, Cuv., 
Is occasionally taken on all parts of the coast. 
Since my attention was first given to fishes, not more than seven or 
eight holibuts in the year have been brought to Belfast market. 
Thirteen examples, noted down as seen here by me within a few years, 
were chiefly taken on the coasts of Down and Antrim, including Belfast 
Bay, where they occur from December to March inclusive. In one 
instance only were two offered for sale on the same day ; the largest of 
these did not exceed 5 feet in length and 120 lbs. in weight; but examples 
weighing 1^ cwt. and 2| cwt. have been brought to Belfast market. This 
last one was captured at Ballywalter (Co. Down) some years ago. 
The holibut would seem from the testimony of English authors to be 
little esteemed ; but though deficient in any high flavour, like the turbot 
and the sole, I consider it a very good fish, as do numerous friends whom 
I have prevailed on to try this giant of our flat-fishes. 
Some years ago it was unsaleable in our market, but it is now readily 
sold at 4 d. per lb. 
