304 AMERICAN GAME FISHES. 



says Prof. Goode, indicates its size and value; and Diplodus^ 

 used by others, meaning "double-toothed." The Sheep's-head 

 is one of the few species which goes by the same name, 

 wherever known, from Jamaica Bay to Cape Florida. The 

 Florida people, however, omit the s, calling it the "Sheep- 

 head." The ancients had a Sargus, to which Walton alludes, 

 quoting his favorite Du Bartus, in a curious legend which 

 attributes to the fish certain disreputable habits, unknown 

 to our quiet Sheep's-head. This species is supposed to be 

 hatched and bred in southern waters, mainly on both coasts 

 of Florida, where the spawn is deposited at the mouth of 

 rivers and inlets, in March and April, in the shallow water 

 near the shore, where both sexes may be seen sporting on 

 the sand-bars. At this time they become thin and unfit for 

 food, and will take a Mullet bait, which, when in condition 

 for the table, they reject. In summer they make a northern 

 migration, as far as New York, and grow large and fat upon 

 the mollusks and Crustacea, being taken up to fifteen pounds 

 weight, and are considered a great luxury, bringing high prices. 

 In 1 8 14, Dr. Mitchell wrote that "the Sheep's-head contin- 

 ued about New York from June to September, and was then 

 abundant, so that hundreds have been taken at one haul of 

 the seine in Jamaica Bay and Fire Island. They were highly 

 colored, and the capture of one with a hook and line was 

 considered the most desirable combination of luck and skill. 

 He knew an ancient fisherman who used to record in 

 a book the time, place, and circumstances of every Sheep's- 

 head he caught." This high estimate continues, but the 

 record of captures in New York waters would require few 

 pages now. The farther south you go the more abundant 

 the Sheep's-head become, though they nowhere take the hook 

 freely till air and water are warm. In the St. John's River 

 in Florida they will be found all the year, though during the 

 prevalence of a "norther " few can be taken, as they run at 

 these times into deep water. 



