CHAPTER V 



The Kingfish. — Ment i< ■irrin^ nebulos u.-i — M itch . 



The kingfisli, or wbiliug, as it is called along the goutherii coast, 

 is the gamiest fi^^h for its size known to the angler. Its great 

 gaminess, its beauty of coloring and form, and its excellent flavor 

 •combined to cause the loyal citizens of Now York in the colonial 

 •days, to name the fish the king-fish. 



It used to be very abundant in the waters of New York city, and 

 •with the small striped bass, was the crowding glory of the old 

 ;time fishing. In such esteem was the king-fish that I have read in 

 some fishing book that the New York angler on hearing that 

 king-fish were to be caught from the pier-heads, would seize his rod 

 and basket and rush ofl^ in his shirt sleeves to enjoy the long wished 

 for sport. 



But now the kingfish are very scal-ce in our harbor ; but there are 

 plenty of them to be bought in Fulton Market, having been brought 

 ap to the city from the Jersey coast and the South Bay. Genio. C. 

 Scott k very enthusiastic about the kingfish, giving it a very high 

 rank among salt water game fishes ; and he makes the assertion 

 that the New York angler cares more for a two pound whiting in 

 his basket than (well I have forgotten how many pounds of any 

 •other salt water fish.) But without claiming as much as this for 

 the kingfish, he is worthy in every respect of the high esteem in 

 which he is held by anglers and epicures. 



The kingfish, also sometimes called barb, is tapering and long in 

 form, has a complete covering of round and ciliated scales, and on 



