SOLE. 
201 
with the trawl, from which, because of its form, this species 
has less powers of escape than most others of this family. 
Perhaps also this fish suffers less injury from this mode of 
capture, on account of the manner in which it moves; and yet 
we are informed that in the year 1832, there were condemned 
at Billingsgate, as unfit for food, twenty-four thousand six 
hundred Soles; with of Plaice eighteen thousand seven hundred 
and fifty; while of Turbots there were condemned only two 
hundred and seven, and of Brills one hundred and eighty. All 
these fishes are retentive of life, and do not soon decay after 
death; but the difference of numbers here referred to may arise 
from the circumstance that the two last-named species are more 
abundantly caught with long lines, where no violence is inflicted, 
while Soles are chiefly obtained by the trawl, where, when 
di-agged for a long distance along the ground, the bruised 
bodies may speedily suffer decomposition. But the Sole is 
sometimes taken with a line, or rather on the hooks of a 
spiller; and that more are not thus caught is to be explained 
by the circumstance that this method of fishing is for the most 
part only followed by day, whereas the Sole usually seeks its 
food only by night; and by being aware of this, I have been 
informed by a fisherman that at one haul he once caught 
twenty-eight Soles, the bait being the lug or other worms of 
the beach. This fish spawns in the early portion of the year, 
and we may readily believe it to be prolific, since otherwise 
the immense numbers that are caught would soon extirpate the 
race. 
Mr. Cocks mentions a couple of Solos, each of which measured 
twenty-three inches in length, with a breadth of ten inches, 
the weight nine pounds; but they are rarely allowed to reach 
so large a size. The example selected measured seventeen 
inches in length, and in breadth seven inches, including the 
fins; the general form flat; front of the head rounded, and 
protruding over the mouth, which is arched, the upper lip 
bent down over the lower, jaws twisted, with fine teeth on the 
lower or white side of the jaw. Eyes on a level, not touching 
the upper border or outline, the lower eye close to the corner 
of the mouth; a depression, and not a ridge, between the eyes; 
a very short barb in front of the eye. Head, body, and 
generally the fins covered with small scales; lateral line straight; 
YOL. IlL 2 D 
