332 AMERICAN GAME FISHES. 



ing both at the bottom and on the surface and readily takes 



fly or spoon. It preys voraciously on Mullet, Menhaden and 



other small fishes, often driving them on shore. It is a 



slender and handsomely formed fish, built for speed, with a 



high dorsal fin, and deeply forked tail. Weight from two to 



four pounds, but pulls like a six-pounder. 



Description of Ladv-fish — Albula Vulpes (Goode), — [from a 

 freshly-caught specimen.] Body slender and cylindrical. 

 Head one-fifth the whole length. Eyes very large, fins yel- 

 low. Mouth large, teeth small; labials long and large, with 

 fine teeth on edges. Scales small. Fins all soft-rayed, dorsal 

 high, in middle of back; i8; pectoral i6; anal lo; tail deeply 

 forked. Color of head greenish, back dark blue, sides and 

 belly silvery. Length one to three feet. 



FLY-FISHING IN SALT-WATER. 



" The pleasant'st angling is to see the fish 



Cut with their golden oars the silver stream, 



And greedily devour the treacherous bait." 



— Shakespeare. 



Which seems to mean fly-fishing, and as the poet lived 

 near the "Soft-flowing Avon," he probably was an angler. 

 In fact there are many passages in his plays to show his 

 familiarity with the art. 



But to return to Mosquito Inlet. As the season advanced 

 the weather grew warmer, and some of the southern fishes 

 were seen feeding upon the Mullet. The Cavalli and Lady- 

 fish, and near the Inlet, the Tarpum showed his vast and 

 brilliant form on the surface, leaping and rolling in the tide- 

 ways. 



So one morning the major and I, with our host, started to 

 look after these new-comers. We dropped down with the 

 tide, then about three-quarters ebb, and crossed the river to 

 the mouth of a large creek about half a mile from the house. 

 In the middle, the water was shallow, but on the north side 

 the channel was eight or ten feet deep and ran strongly, near 

 the bank. Having procured a dozen Mullets with the cast- 

 net, we anchored in mid-channel, the tide beginning to set 



