FLOUNDER. 305 



being long-lived out of water, the carriage from one place to 

 another is a matter of very little difficulty. Along our 

 southern shore the Flounder is very common ; and it occurs 

 on the Irish coast from Cork up the eastern side to Antrim, 

 and thence northward and westward to Donegal. 



The Flounder feeds upon aquatic insects, worms, and 

 small fishes, and has been known to acquire the weight of 

 four pounds, but is not usually seen near so large. It 

 spawns in February or March, and the young Flounders may 

 be seen alive by the end of April. Varieties of the Floun- 

 der occur much more commonly than those of any other 

 species of Flatfish. I have before me, while now writing, 

 specimens without any colour on either side ; specimens 

 coloured on both sides ; and specimens with both eyes and 

 the whole of the colour on the left side instead of the right. 

 Those without any dark colour on either side are albino 

 varieties, through the transparent skins of which the colour 

 of the blood-vessels and muscles has suggested the trivial 

 names of rosea and carnaria to the authors who considered 

 them species. The PL passer, figured by Bloch, pt. ii. 

 pi. 50, is certainly only a reversed Flounder, having the 

 eyes and the colour on the' left side ; a variety so common, 

 that it is scarcely possible to examine a peck measure of 

 Flounders without finding one or more reversed specimens. 

 One of the most remarkable specific distinctions of the 

 Flounder, the series of denticulated tubercles placed be- 

 tween the rays of the fins along the dorsal and abdominal 

 lines, is distinctly figured in both Bloch's plates as quoted, 

 pt. ii. plates 44 and 50. 



The length of the head is to the whole length of the fish 

 as one to four ; the greatest width of the body, without the 

 fins, is to the whole length of the fish as one to three : the 

 mouth small : the teeth in one row in each jaw, small and 

 numerous ; the upper eye nearly over the lower ; the lateral 



VOL. II. X 



