GEN. PLATESSA. FLOUNDER. 225 



the latitude of Greenland. In their habits they 

 resemble the Plaice, frequenting sand-banks near 

 the mouths of rivers, and other places where the 

 bottom is formed by soft sedimentary matter, such 

 as the mouths of harbours, &c. Their partiality to 

 a mud bottom has procured for them the name of 

 Mud-Flounders in Scotland ; but they are likewise 

 known by the names of Fleuke and Mayock-Fleuke. 

 They spawn in March and April, commonly where 

 the salt water is mingled with the fresh of rivers, 

 and by the month of June the young are about half 

 an inch long. Aquatic insects, worms, and small 

 fish are the ordinary food, but the Flounder is not 

 a choice feeder, and such dead animal matter as it 

 finds disseminated among the mud is readily con- 

 verted to its use. It is probably in part owing to 

 this cause that the flesh is but indifferent, inferior 

 to that of most of the other flat fish. The Floun- 

 der lives indifferently in salt, brackish, or fresh 

 water, and seems to thrive equally well in all. It 

 ascends rivers to a great distance from the sea ; the 

 Avon, for example, to within three miles of Bath, 

 and the Thames to Teddington and Sunbury. 



" Varieties of the Flounder," says Mr. Yarrell, 

 " occur much more commonly than those of any 

 other species of flat fish. I have before me, while 

 now writing, specimens without any colour on either 

 side; specimens coloured on both sides; and speci- 

 mens 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, 



