Page:Natural History, Fishes.djvu/280

266 with lighter fins; the surface is studded with small bony knobs, which are not found beneath.

The Turbot is found in considerable abundance all round the British coasts, and is the subject of a valuable fishery. The trawl-net is used for its capture, and also the deep-sea line, baited with some small fishes, either such as have great tenacity of life, to keep long in motion, or else such as are attractive from their brilliant silvery hue. The Dutch pursue the Turbot with more energy and success than our own fishermen, and a large portion of the supply for the London market is taken by those enterprising foreigners. They are said to draw no less a sum than 80,000l. a year from the Billingsgate market for this fish alone, while 12,000l. to 15,000l. are paid to the Danes for lobsters to be used as sauce to the Turbots. Our own fishery is chiefly pursued on the coast of Yorkshire, Durham, and Northumberland. It continues from the beginning of April to the middle of August.

.

(Suckers.)

A small Family of Fishes of little value or importance either in a commercial or scientific point of view, is distinguished under the above name by a curious sort of sucking disk, by means of which they are enabled to adhere to the rocks of the bottom, or any other substance. This disk is situated on the inferior surface of the body, and is formed by the union of the large pectorals, which are connected by a membrane.