324 AMERICAN GAME FISHES. 



time, and eats them — but he always bites off the head where 

 the 'pizen' is; he never eats that. A rattlesnake is mighty 

 afraid of a gopher-snake, so I use to encourage them to stay 

 about my place; and they are great rat-killers too. But 

 after a while they got to eating up our chickens, so I had to 

 drive them away — but I never kill one." 



The steamer that plies between the two rivers now came 

 in sight, bringing passengers from Daytona and Ormond. 

 She stopped at the lignt-house wharf, just below our house, 

 to land passengers. 



"There's more fishermen for our place," said P. ; "Daytona 

 men, I reckon. Well, we have got fish enough to feed them, 

 anyway." 



SALT-WATER TROUT OR SOUTHERN WEAK-FISH CYNOSCION 



CAROLINENSIS (GILL). 



This species is allied to the Weak-fish or Squeteague of 

 the northern coast, but is a handsomer and better fish. 

 Color, silvery sides, darker above, with rows of black spots 

 above the lateral line. Body silvery. Head small, mouth 

 large, and well supplied with sharp teeth; in form and color 

 much resembling the Lake-trout of Northern New York, but 

 wanting the adipose fin. Predacious in habits, takes Mullet- 

 bait eagerly, fights hard on the hook, and gives good sport 

 with rod and reel, though rather less enduring than the Red 

 Bass. This fish does not well bear keeping, but eaten fresh 

 from the water is sweet and well-flavored. It is largest and 

 most abundant in warm weather, when it may be heard on a 

 still night snapping along the shore in pursuit of small fish. 

 I have taken them from two pounds to six in weight, at 

 Halifax Inlet, in winter. Very large specimens are taken in 

 Musquito Lagoon, south of New Smyrna, weighing, it is said, 

 as much as twenty pounds. 



It takes bait on the bottom, at mid-water, and on the sur- 

 face, and I have killed them in frcsli water, \\hile trolling 



