210 STRIPED BASS. 
of the shore, and often fill a pail with minnows or spear- 
ing at one haul. 
The killej-fish, so called by our ancestors from being 
caught in the kills or creeks, and which, by the by, are 
at least of three kinds without counting sticklebacks, 
will rush about and try to creep under the net ; but spear- 
ing, which always go in shoals, when once in the net do 
not seem to be able to escape, and will stay there as long 
as it is kept in motion. ]^o fisherman living near the 
water should be without this contrivance, as nothing is 
so annoying as to be unable to get bait ; he will soon 
acquire considerable skill in its use, and if he is as boy- 
ish as a fisherman ought always, though grey-headed, to 
be, he will experience much excitement in the pursuit 
even of his bait. If spearing cannot be had, though 
that is rare, the barred killey, vulgarly called the bass 
killey, is the next in beauty and attractiveness ; it is the 
Fundulus fasciatits^ or striped killey-fish of De Kay, 
and if it cannot be had, the ugly green killey-fish, Fun- 
dulus viridescens^ may be used, but with doubtful suc- 
cess. 
To cast with spearing in the manner here suggested 
successfully, a stout long salmon rod will be requisite. 
A small hook is run tlirough the spearing's mouth and 
out at his side, for he is long since dead, and a cast is 
made into the foaming torrent of a mill-tail or rushing 
tide. The bait is drawn irregularly over the surface of 
the water, and again cast and played like the fly. The 
bass strike it as trout or salmon take the latter; and 
there is the same skill and uncertainty in the pursuit. 
I was once fishing in this manner for snapping mack- 
