Sandy Lewadny, age 12, of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, for his question:

WHAT IS A GRUNION? i

Along the coast of Southern California, a small silvery fish called the grunion lays eggs on sandy beaches each year from late February to early September. The fish, which is five to eight inches long, must lay its eggs on nights of the highest tide.

Newspapers in the coastal area regularly print announcements of grunion nights and tell their readers when the fish may be expected to come on the beaches. Usually fishermen gather to catch the delicious tasting fish. Regulations make it necessary for each adult to have a state fishing liscense. Also, all catches must be taken by hand.

Eggs are laid at the high water line and become buried in the sand. In two weeks, as high tide washes the eggs out of the sand, the new baby fish burst out of the eggs like popcorn.