FISHERIES OF THE COASTAL WATERS OF FLORIDA. 23 



They are almost invariably found in two separate schools. The spawning 

 grounds of the kingfish are " down the hay." The first of the winter a great 

 many of the fish have large roes, but it is very seldom that one is taken that 

 has a roe fully matured. If the weather has been very cold in the bay early 

 in the fall, the kingfish will leave before they have spawned, and it is during 

 such seasons that fish containing ripe spawn are most frequently taken. 



32. Spanish Mackerel, Scomberomorus regalia (Block) and Scomberomorus mnculatus 



(Mitchill). Both of these species occur at Key West, but are not distin- 

 guished by the fishermen. The former is probably the more abundant. 

 They are both taken by trolling in the winter. The maximum size is said 

 to be 12 pounds, the average about 3 pounds. 



33. Amber Jack or Amberfish, Seriola lalandi Cuvier & Valenciennes. Not uncom- 



mon in the winter and an important fish. Maximum size 80pounds or more, 

 average about 3."> pounds. Caught chiefly by trolling. 



34. Almicore or "Almaco,'' Seriola dumerili (Risso). Perhaps scarcely as common 



as the preceding. Maximum size 25 pounds, average 8 pounds. Taken in 

 the winter by trolling. 



35. Jack, Caranx hippos (Linnaeus). Common in winter. Reaches a weight of 3 or 



4 pounds. It is taken either by trolling or bottom fishing. 



36. Runner, Caranx cryaoa (Mitchill). Common in winter with the preceding and 



caught in same way. 



37. Horse-eye Jack. Caranx In Ins Agassiz. Perhaps more common than either of 



the two preceding species. Goes in schools and is taken by trolling. 



38. Moonfish, Selene vomer (LinnsdUB). Not uncommon in winter. Reaches a weight 



of 2 pounds and is regarded as an excellent fish. The average weight is a 

 half pound or less. 



39. Pompano, Tracltinotua carolinua (Linmeus). The pompano is taken about Key 



AVest only in winter, when the cold weather drives it south. It reaches a 

 weight here of about 5 pounds, the average being about 1 pounds. It is 

 taken by hook and line and is. of course, regarded as an excellent food-fish. 



40. Permit, Tracltinotua goodei Jordan & Evermann. This species is not very 



common at Key West. It readies a weight of 40 pounds, the average being 

 about 8 pounds. It is taken in the winter both by hook and line anil seine. 

 The ''permit" of Indian River is Trachinotus falcatua, a different species. 



41. Bluefish, Pomatomua aaltatrix (Linnaeus). The bluefish is not common at Key 



West. It is taken by trolling. The maximum size is 6 pounds, the average 

 about 3 pounds. 



42. Black Angel, Pom acanthus arcuatus (Linnaeus). Xot uncommon. Reaches a 



weight of 6 pounds, or an average of 2 pounds. Found throughout the 

 year. 



43. Yellow Angel. Angelichihys ciliaris (Linnaeus). Perhaps more common than the 



preceding. Reaches about the same size. 



44. Tang, TeutMa hepatus Linnaeus. Not uncommon. Reaches a weight of 2 pounds. 



This and two other species of tang (blue tang. TeutMa ca ruleus, and the ocean 

 tang, TeutMa bohianua) are ofteu taken with the "gram" or in traps. 



45. Common Mullet or Callifavor Mullet, Mugil cephalua Linnaeus. This is the 



most abundant and most important mullet found at Key West. Others are 

 the blueback or white mullet (Mugil curema) and the fantail mullet (Mugil 

 triehodon). A fourth species, known as the red-eye mullet (Mugil gaimardi- 

 nnus), also occurs there, but not in abundance. The mullets are most common 

 at Key West in the winter, when considerable quantities are taken. They 

 are far less abundant here, however, than on either coast of the mainland. 



There are many other species of fishes found at Key West which are 

 used to a greater or less extent as food. Auioug them are the boneflsh 

 (Albula vulpes), tenpounder (Elops saurus), barracuda (Sphyrcena barra- 



