ABOUT THE FLOUNDER. 95 



body and the fins are of an olive-brown colour, marked 

 with numerous large bright spots of orange. 



The FLOUNDER (Platessa flesus) is readily distinguished 

 from the plaice by a row of small tubercles on each side 

 of the lateral line. Its greatest breadth, excluding the 

 fins, is about one-third of its whole length. It is found 

 in comparatively shallow water, with muddy or sandy 

 bottom, on our own shores, and on the coast of almost all 

 Europe ; thriving equally well in perfectly salt, brackish, 

 or perfectly fresh water. In Sweden it is known by the 

 name of flundra ; in Scotland, by that of fleuk, or fluke. 

 He is a greedy and audacious fish, and the best time for 

 taking him is at early dawn, when he prowls about in 

 quest of a morning meal : 



" He that intends a flounder to surprise, 

 Must start betimes and fish before sunrise." 



Franks, quoted by Badham, says of the Flesi : " These 

 fish are bold as buccaneers, of much more confidence than 

 caution, and so fond of a worm that they will go to the 

 banquet though they die at the board : they are endowed 

 with great resolution, and struggle stoutly for the victory 

 when hooked; they are also more than ordinarily difficult 

 to deal with by reason of their build, which is altogether 

 flat, as if it were a level. The flounder, I must further tell 

 you, delights to dwell among stones ; besides, he is 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, inso- 

 much that a man would fancy him an antiquary, con- 

 sidering he is so affected with reliques." 



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