352 Bass, Pike, and Perch 



of a light rod, multiplying reel, braided linen line, 

 size F or G, three-foot leader, Sproat-bend hooks, 

 No. I or 2, on gut snells, with sinker in accord- 

 ance with the depth of the water and the strength 

 of the tide. Almost any bait will answer, as sea- 

 crawfish, cut conch, or fish. 



THE LITTLE-HEAD PORGY 



(^Calamus proridens) 



This species was first described by Jordan and 

 Gilbert, in 1883, from Key West. They named 

 it proridens, meaning " prow tooth," owing to its 

 projecting canines. It is abundant in the West 

 Indies, and is quite common about Key West and 

 the neighboring keys. It is one of the smallest 

 and prettiest of the porgies, and is called little- 

 head in contradistinction to the jolt-head or big- 

 head porgy. It is almost identical in shape to 

 the saucer-eye porgy, both in head and body. 



It is brighter in color than the other porgies, 

 being quite silvery with iridescent reflections ; the 

 scales of the upper part of the body have violet 

 spots, forming longitudinal streaks ; those on the 

 lower part have pale orange spots ; the sides 

 have several dark bands ; the snout and cheeks 

 have horizontal, wavy stripes of violet-blue ; the 



