Like the croaker, the Lafayette resorts to grassy and weedy situations in the brackish-water bays, estuaries, and tributaries. In Florida it is present all the year, but does not enter northern waters until summer and autumn, when it is often found in company with the croaker or white-perch. It feeds on shrimps and other small crustaceans and small mollusks. It spawns in southern waters in the fall. Although but a small fish, growing to eight or ten inches in length, and usually to but six inches, it is a great favorite as a pan-fish, as when perfectly fresh it is a delicious tidbit or _bonne-bouche_ of most excellent flavor. The same tackle recommended for the croaker is well adapted for the spot, though the hooks should be smaller, Nos. 4 to 6. It is found in the same situations as the croaker, and often in shallow water, or about the piling of bridges and wharves, wherever shrimps abound. My method, many years ago, was to use a light cane rod, ten or twelve feet in length, and a fine line of about the same length, very small hooks, about No. 8, with bait of shrimp, cut clam, oyster, sandworm, or earthworm. I used no float, but held the rod elevated sufficiently to keep the bait from touching the bottom, thus maintaining a taut line, so that the slightest nibble of the fish could be felt, when I would endeavor to hook it at once, for it is as well versed in bait-stealing as the cunner. It is only necessary to refer to the many names by which this little fish is known in various sections of the country to prove its popularity. Some of these are the spot, goody, Cape May goody, and Lafayette of northern waters, the roach and chub of Carolina, and the chopa blanca (white bream) and besugo (sea-bream) of the Portuguese and Spanish fishermen of Florida. It appeared in unusually large numbers in northern waters about the time that Lafayette visited this country in 1834, hence one of its numerous names. Years ago I have seen crowds of men, women, and boys occupying front seats on the wood-wharves of Baltimore harbor engaged in fishing for spots and croakers, on Saturday afternoons, and many a boy was tardy at Sunday-school the next morning through picking out the bones from his Sunday breakfast. CHAPTER IX THE DRUM FAMILY (_CONTINUED_) (_Sciænidæ_) The most conspicuous and characteristic features by which the members of this family may be known were given in the preceding chapter, where the brackish-water and salt-water species were described. There is but one species found in fresh water, a description of which follows.