NORTHERN MEMOIRS. 333 



day before sun-rise, frequently busying himself 

 about break-fast, half an hour sometimes before 

 break of day ; and delights, I must tell you, to 

 dwell among stones, so does he among stakes and 

 gravelly bottoms ; besides he's a great admirer 

 of deeps and ruinous decays, yet as fond as any 

 fish of moderate streams, and none beyond him 

 except the perch, that is more solicitous to rifle 

 into ruins ; insomuch that a man would fancy 

 him an antiquary, when to consider him so af- 

 fected with reliques, yet of that undaunted cou- 

 rage, that he dares to feed before any man's face, 

 provided there be but water enough to cover 

 him, though not to conceal him. Moreover, he 

 adheres so close to the bottom, that a man would 

 think him inoculated to it, or at least an inmate 

 in another element. 



For that end let us consider the flounder a re- 

 solute fish, and one that struggles stoutly for a 

 victory with the angler, and is more than ordi- 

 narily difficult to deal with, by reason of his 

 built, which is altogether flat as it were a level ; 

 so that if it happen your tackle be fine, and the 

 bottom, as it sometimes falls out, to be foul, you 

 run the risk of your adventure and artillery. 

 Now some folks, beyond measure, admire this 

 fish, because opinionated he is so nutricious : 

 And truly he's good food, which makes him so 

 desirable, though seldom or rarely not over-cau- 



