JULY. FLOUNDERS. 255 



the verdict of the doctor, who at once saw that some 

 strong narcotic had been given to the man. 



Among the available products of the sandy creeks 

 and bays on this coast are immense quantities of ex- 

 cellent flounders. These fish come in with every 

 tide, and though the great bulk of them return to 

 the deep water, vast numbers remain in the pools 

 which are formed at low water upon the sands. We 

 occasionally drag some of these pools with a small 

 trout-net, and are sure to catch a large quantity of 

 these fish in one or two hauls. The flounders are 

 of two kinds, the grey-backed flounder and a larger 

 sort which has red spots. The latter however is a 

 far inferior fish, the flesh being soft and flabby. 

 Notwithstanding the abundance and excellence of 

 the flounders, left, as it were, for any person to pick 

 up, with scarcely any exertion, the country people 

 very seldom take the trouble to catch them, except- 

 ing now and then by the line, in a lazy, inefficient 

 way. 



July, although not a month during which the 

 sportsman finds much employment for his gun, is 

 still to me a most interesting season. Every day 

 that I walk by the lochs and swamps I see fresh 

 arrivals in the shape of broods and flocks of young 

 teal and wild ducks, and this year there are numbers 



