It has a short fin near the middle of each side just behind its head, and another pair of short fins between the head and the belly fin. It has also a large tail fin.

在身体每一侧头部下方靠近中间的位置上也分别有一个短鳍, 另外一对短鳍则生长在头部与臀鳍之间。它还有一个巨大的尾鳍。

Most fishes swim by moving their tails from side to side;but the plaice swims in a very funny way, by moving its whole body, and by a waving motion of its long fins. Some day you will perhaps go to an aquarium and see many kinds of fish in large tanks with glass sides. Then you will be pleased to see how the plaice swims.

大多数鱼类都是通过向两侧摆动尾巴来游动身体;然而, 欧鲽鱼的泳姿却非常有趣, 它晃动整个身体以及长长的鱼鳍进行移动。有一天, 你可以前往水族馆, 在巨大的玻璃密闭水池中观赏到各种各样的鱼类。到时候, 你就会看到欧鲽鱼那令人发笑的泳姿。

It is very hard to see the plaice as it lies on the sand or mud with its dark and spotted side upwards. This is just what the plaice likes: it does not want the big fishes to see it; because, if they did, they would soon catch and eat it.

我们很难看到欧鲽鱼的身影, 因为它总是躺在沙地或淤泥之中, 将带有斑点的深色一面朝上。这正是它需要的：它可不希望那些大鱼发现自己, 否则它将很快小命难保了。

When children are wading in the sea by the sandy beach, they sometimes tread on a plaice lying half buried in the sand. They get a great fright when they feel the fish moving away from under their feet.

当孩子们在浅水里涉水, 有可能会踩到一半身子埋在沙地里的欧鲽鱼。当欧鲽鱼从孩子们的脚底溜走时, 他们肯定会吓得不轻。

The plaice spawns or lays its thousands of little eggs in the sea water in the month of March. The fish is not good to eat then; but it soon improves, and is at its best in the month of May.

三月, 欧鲽鱼就会在海水中产卵。那时候的鱼肉味道可不是很好;到了五月, 肉质最为鲜美。

Plaice feed chiefly at night, when they swim about near the bottom of the shallow bays in which they live, devouring any shell-fish or star-fish that they may find. They have a large mouth, and a number of small teeth.

欧鲽鱼生活在浅湾的水底, 到了夜间, 它们会四处觅食, 将能够找到的贝类或海星全部一吞而下。它们的嘴巴很大, 嘴中则长有很多小小的牙齿。

Have you ever eaten the plaice ? Its flesh is not so good as that of the sole, being soft and watery. In large towns there are many fried-fish shops, where the plaice is cut into slices and fried in dripping or oil. You can often tell, by the smell of the burning fat, when you are passing one of these shops.

你有没有吃过欧鲽鱼? 与箬鳎鱼相比, 欧鲽鱼肉质并没有那么鲜美, 质地比较软, 水分也多。很多大城镇里都有烤鱼店, 人们将欧鲽鱼切成片, 放入油中生煎。当你经过这样一家烤鱼店时, 只要闻一下燃烧的脂肪味道就可以知道是不是欧鲽鱼了。

英语美文