3 1 6 A MERICA N FISHES. 



Like others of its tribe, the Plaice habitually lie upon the bottom, where 

 their peculiar shape and color protect them from observation and give 

 them excellent opportunities to capture their prey. In the north they are 

 usually found at a depth of two to twenty fathoms, and in winter move off 

 into deeper water. In New Jersey they occur at lesser depths. Prof. 

 Baird records that they are sometimes taken in large numbers by means of 

 nets in the deep slues along the beach. In winter they do not run out so 

 far into deep water, and "at times," says Prof. Baird, "seem to be quite 

 torpid on the shallow grounds, suffering themselves to be taken up with 

 oyster-tongs without making any attempt to escape." Still further south 

 they are found in the shallowest water. The fishermen of St. John's River 

 seine them in the grass along the shores at a depth of three or four feet. 

 Mr. Stearns writes, speaking of the eastern part of the Gulf of Mexico : 

 " They are found mostly in the bays and bayous where the bottom is 

 muddy or grassy, but it is not unusual to find them in shoal water along 

 the sand beaches of the coast and bays. Very shoal water seems to be 

 particularly attractive, and they are often found at the water's edge 

 embedded in the sand, with only their eyes in view. When alarmed or in 

 pursuit of prey their movements are very swift, and the quickness with 

 which they bury themselves in the sand is quite wonderful." 



Their habit of ascending Southern rivers is remarkable. They are said 

 to occur in Lake George and the other lakes at the headwaters of the St. 

 John's and the Ocklawaha Rivers. At Jacksonville they are commonly 

 taken in company with bream, black bass, and other fresh-water fish, in 

 winter as well as summer. 



Although present in the shoal waters of Florida throughout the year, 

 Mr. Stearns states that they are most abundant in summer. On the Con- 

 necticut coast, however, their habit of migrating seaward is much more 

 pronounced. The Noank fishermen never find them until May. They 

 say that they never catch them until after they have fished awhile for sea- 

 bass. As early as the first of October they begin to grow scarce, and none 

 are ordinarily caught after the middle of the month. I cannot find that 

 they have ever been seen moving in schools, though fish taken in the same 

 locality at the same time are usually quite uniform in size. They shift 

 their position, probably in search of food, and where any are found they 

 are plenty. This indicates that they are gregarious in habit. The abun- 

 dance of food in special localities sufficiently explains this fact. 



