3 1 6 
AMERICAN 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. 
