FISHES or THE EAST ATLANTIC COAST. 149 



the people of the interior, taking salt well, and being as a pickled 

 fish next in value to the mackerel, though at some distance behind. 

 The roe of the mullet being salted, dried and smoked, is a rich and 

 palatable food. The mullet has a gizzard-like organ for grinding up 

 the small Crustacea and mollusks which it takes into its stomach with 

 the mud, which seems to be its principal food. Itself is the food 

 of all carniverous fishes and birds, as well as of mankind, so that 

 but for being a very prolific species, it would be in danger of exter- 

 mination. Size, from half a pound to six pounds. 



If, as it has been afiirmed, the mullet will sometimes rise to a fly, 

 it might give good sport, being a strong and active fish, capable of 

 leaping out of the water like a trout. 



In engaging boatmen and guides for Florida waters, it is impor- 

 tant to select those who can use a cast net. I knew a party of 

 anglers from Canada who came to camp out in southern Florida one 

 winter, who, neglecting this qualification, found their trip a failure 

 — they could get no bait. 



JORDAN AND GILBERT'S DESCRIPTION. 



Mugil albiila — Striped mullet — Body rather elongate, little compressed, sub-, 

 terete; snout not broad, moderately depressed ; mouth moderate, lips thin, the max- 

 illary not covered by the preorbital ; angle made by the dentary bones obtuse, or 

 nearly at a right angle. Scales comparatively small, a few on the dorsal and anal 

 fins. Pectoral fins placed little above the axis of the body. Coloration dark blue- 

 ish above, sides silvery, with conspicuous darker lateral stripes ; a dusky blotch at 

 base of pectorals. Head 4 1-3 ; depth 4; D. IV-i, 8 ; A III, 3 ; scales 42 — icj. 

 Atlantic coast of the United States ; very abundant southward, where it is much 

 valued as a food fish. 



Yellow-tail — Silver Perch — ^cmrni pinictaUi — (Linn.) — This 

 is a pretty little fish, quite abundant in some parts of the Florida 

 coast, which affords good sport on a light rod^ and is a well-flavored 

 pan-fish. In Halifax River it seldom Aveighs half a pound. Color 

 greenish above, below silvery ; tail yellowish. 



Besides the above described spevjios, which belong to Southern 

 waters, we find on the Florida const in winter some species which 



