195 
FLOUNDER. 
FLUKE. 
Passer Jluviatilis, vulgo Jlesus, WlLLOUGHTT ; p. 98, table F. 6. 
Pleuronectes jlesus, 
Plaiessa Jlesus, 
Linn^us. Donovan; pi. 94, a variety. 
CnviBB. 
Fleming ; Br. Animals, p. 198. 
Jentns ; Manual, p. 455. 
Yaeeell ; Br. Fisbes, vol. ii, p. 303. 
Lacepedb. 
G-unthee ; Cat. Br. M., vol. iv, p. 450. 
<< 
ii 
it 
Pleuronecte jlez, 
Pleuronectes Jlesus, 
The Flounder is, more than others of this family, a fish of 
the shore, from which it never goes far; and it gives a 
preference to harbours into which a river fiows, and which it 
traverses with the tide in search of worms or crustaceous 
animals; but it docs not always retire with the sea, and fresh 
water seems at times to have a particular charm for it, as it 
occasionally wanders upward in the deeper rivers to a con- 
siderable distance, and there it assumes a new appearance as 
regards colour, as well as that it is said to suffer loss in the 
quality of its flesh, but it seems doubtful whether it ever 
breeds in fresh water. 
This fish is found in abundance on all the coasts of the 
United Kingdom, and it is known even in Greenland; but 
the larger numbers appear to be on the north of Europe, 
where, however, it must be an uncommon circumstance to find 
it in such vast multitudes as is represented in the account 
furnished from the coast of Denmark, in December, 1862; 
where, as we are told in the “Zoologist,” (Api-il, 1863,) not 
less than two milhons and a half were believed to have been 
taken after stormy weather, and the capture was at that time 
still going on, five hundred men having been engaged for 
