The Channel Fishes 339 



eye, and along the middle of the body to the 

 caudal fin ; above this stripe there are a number 

 of deep yellow blotches, as if made by the finger 

 tips; below the broad yellow stripe are quite a 

 number of narrow, parallel yellow stripes, with 

 violet interspaces; the iris of the eye is scarlet; 

 the very long caudal fin is entirely deep yellow, 

 and the other fins are bordered with yellow. 



The yellow-tail associates with the grunts and 

 porgies about the coralline rocks in the channels, 

 feeding on small fishes and crustaceans. Its 

 average size is ten or twelve inches in length 

 and nearly a pound in weight, though it some- 

 times is taken up to two feet, and three or four 

 pounds. It is quite a good game-fish and very 

 voracious, eagerly taking sea-crawfish, crab, conch, 

 or small fish bait. Some of the large conchs, as 

 Pyrtila and S trombus, will furnish bait for an 

 entire outing, the animal being as large as a 

 child's forearm. Black-bass tackle, with hooks 

 Nos. I to i-o on gut snells, will answer for the 

 yellow-tail. 



THE LANE SNAPPER 

 {Lutianus synagris ) 



The lane snapper is another beautiful fish com- 

 mon about the reefs and keys. It was named by 



