THE HALIBUT AND THE DAB.
The Dab is distinguished from the other flat Fish by having very hard scales on its body, and the Halibut has the distinction of being the largest of this class of flat Fish. It is occasionally caught in the seas of Northern Europe and Greenland, measuring seven feet, and weighing from three to four hundred pounds. The body of the Halibut is more elongated than that of the Plaice or Flounder, and its jaws are armed with strong and pointed teeth.
The natives of Greenland fish for the Halibut with an implement which they call gangnaed. It is composed of a hempen cord five or six hundred yards in length, to which are attached about thirty smaller cords, each furnished with a barbed hook at the end. The larger cord is attached to floating planks, which act as trimmers, indicating the place of this destructive contrivance. At the end of twenty-four hours these lines are drawn from the water, and it is not unusual to find five or six large Halibut caught on the hooks.
Another mode of catching this and other flat Fish is to spear them on their sandy beds. No rule is laid down for this method of fishing; in some places it is carried on successfully by means of a common pitchfork. In other places a fine spear is used for the purpose—very long and with sharp prongs.