THE FLOUNDER. 



in their nets ; and along the coast this fish is so numerous, that at low water it may be 

 seen in great numbers darting over the sandy flats, the white surface glittering in the 

 light as the little creatures dash wildly along in their terror of the approaching enemy. 

 I have caught numbers of Plaice, some measuring six or seven inches in length, by 

 merely wading into the muddy sand, holding them down with the feet, and picking 

 them out with the hands. Their terrified wriggle is easily felt by the bare feet, as the 

 fishes find themselves pressed into the sand whither they had fled for refuge, and by a 

 little dexterous management they may be captured by inserting the fingers under the 

 foot, and seizing them firmly across the body. 



TURBOT. 



Pleuronectes maxlmus. 



PLAICE.- 

 Pleuroaectes platessa. 



FLOUNDER. 



Pleuroaectes flesus. 



The color of the Plaice is light brown, variegated with a number of bright red spots 

 upon the body and the dorsal and anal fins. When young, the Plaice has often a dark 

 spot in the centre of each red mark. 



The FLOUNDER, MAYOCK FLEUK, or BUTT, is quite as common as the plaice, and is 

 found in salt, brackish, or fresh water, sometimes living in the sea, sometimes inhabit- 

 ing the mouths of rivers, and sometimes passing up the stream for many miles. 



In former days the Flounder has been known to ascend the Thames as high as 

 Hampton Court, and has there been observed actively chasing the minnows and driv- 

 ing them into shallow water. As this fish is capable of living in fresh water, it has 

 often been transferred to ponds, and will there fatten rapidly. 



The color of the Flounder is usually brown, taking a darker or lighter shade 

 according to the nature of the ground on which the fish rests, those that inhabit the 



