} CHAPTER lY. 



The Reb Grouper. 



Red Grouper. — Epinephelus morio — (Cuv. Gill). — I give to this 

 well known and valuable food fish of the Florida coast the name af- 

 fixed to it by scientists, as I suppose, though I have not identified 

 the species. Jordan and Gilbert in their Synopsis write of the 

 groupers, that the synonomyof the species is much confused, and the 

 name to be adopted uncertain. Their description of ^. wioWo seem 

 more like the common grouper than that of any other which they 

 describe. Holbrook in his Fishes of South Carolina describes it 

 under the name of Serranus erythrogaster. 



The name " grouper" is found in Roman's List of the Fishes of the 

 East Florida Coast. How far north it occurs I do not know, but it 

 is abundant and large along the island of Cuba, as I am informed. 

 It is a thick-set, robust fish, of the perch family, with hard spines in 

 the dorsal fin ; large head and mouth, with many sharp teeth. Color, 

 light olive, mottled with darker lines, like tortoise shell. Fins tipped 

 with blue ; inside of mouth red. 



The grouper is taken on the bottom in deep channels and holes, 

 near the roots of the mangrove trees, under which it makes its strong- 

 hold. It is never found far from this fortress, to which it retreats 

 when alarmed, or when hooked. The usual bait is mullet, either cut 

 or whole ; the latter being more attractive, and taking the larger 

 specimens. In size it runs from half a pound to fifteen pounds, and 

 ie seldom or ever taken with the cast net. It is voracious, but shy. 



