40 Flounders' Spawning Grounds. 



hold the opinion that they spawn quite within the Hadleigh 

 Kay itself, where without doubt little fish 1 to 3 inches or 

 over literally swarm in the spring" and early summer months. 

 Furthermore, we may instance that two Leigh fishermen, about 

 Christmas time, were surprised to find on several occasions at 

 low ebb tide ripe flounders in the mud within the Bay near 

 entrance to a side creek. The fish were full roed almost to 

 bursting, and bedded right in the mud so that they were caught 

 by hand, and " strings " of these flounders were thus brought 

 into Leigh. The inference to be drawn is that these flounders 

 would not afterwards proceed to sea to spawn, but do so either 

 in the Bay itself or in the channel close by. Unfortunately, we 

 have not yet got the free eggs in the neighbourhood of the spot 

 indicated as proof positive, though the larvee, half-inch long, we 

 have frequently procured in the tow- net in places adjoining. 



Whether the above find of ripe females be merely regarded 

 as an incidental catch or otherwise, the fact still holds (as 

 emphasized by such experienced flounder-fishers as G. Kirby 

 and W. Little) that as a rule flounders in spawning condition 

 (unlike dabs and soles) are seldom captured in the trawl or 

 fish-nets, nor do they seem when ripe to take the hook. If 

 spawning seaward in numbers, equivalent to the flounders' pre- 

 sence in the Thames and Medway, most surely would the 

 trawlers rout them up when they fish on likely grounds where 

 they might be supposed to spawn. But it is far otherwise, for 

 in such favourable spots as the Black-tail Spit their paucity in 

 the breeding condition is well known. 



Even on the assumption that the Bay case is an unusual 

 one, so far otherwise as we can make out the matter stands 

 thus. Much depends on the mildness or severity of the winter. 

 When the season is mild, and no severe frosts (December to 

 April), from the Shoebury Sands to Sea Beach or the Lower 

 Hope, there are hosts of breeding and nearly ripe flounders 

 hovering about, either frequenting the 3 to 5 fathom channel 

 or feeding quite inshore. These shed their eggs, so to say, 



