Cunner, Flounder, Smelt 267 



long as broad, and very much compressed or flat. 

 The head is small, less than a fourth of the length 

 of the body, with a small mouth containing 

 closely set, incisor-like teeth. As usual with all 

 of the flatfishes, the dorsal and anal fins are very 

 long, horizontally, the color on the exposed or 

 right side is rusty brown, obscurely mottled, with 

 the under or left side white. 



The flounder is partial to sheltered coves and 

 quiet bays, preferring bottoms of sand or mud, 

 though sometimes it is found in rocky situations. 

 It is sedentary in its habits, partially burying 

 itself in the sand or mud, where it remains during 

 the entire year, feeding on minute shells, crusta- 

 ceans, worms, etc. 



It spawns in the spring, during March and 

 April. The eggs are very small, about thirty to 

 the inch ; and unlike those of most marine fishes 

 they do not float, but are heavy enough to sink, 

 forming bunches or clusters on the bottom, ad- 

 hering to the weeds, etc., where they hatch in 

 from two to three weeks. The fry swim upright, 

 like other fishes, with an eye on each side of the 

 head, but as they grow older they incline to one 

 side, the under eye moving gradually to the upper 

 side, so that at the age of three or four months 



