6 FISHES OF NORTH CAROLINA. 



Pamlico Sound is bountifully provided with fishes and other water products, 

 and supports very valuable fisheries, participated in by a large proportion of the 

 male population. Besides being traversed by immense bodies of shad, alewives, 

 striped bass, and other migratory fishes on their way to and from the fresh 

 waters, Pamlico Sound is the resort of many important salt-water species, among 

 which are the mullets, squeteagues, spot, croaker, drums, blue-fish, menhaden, 

 sheepshead, and hog-fish. The anadromous fishes on their way to Albemarle 

 Sound for the most part pass through New Inlet and to a less extent through 

 Oregon and Hatteras inlets; while most of the fishes bound for the Neuse and 

 Pamlico come from the ocean through Ocracoke and Hatteras inlets. 



Core Sound begins at the extreme southern part of Pamlico Sound and 

 extends southwesterly to the vicinity of Beaufort, while Bogue Kound begins at 

 the latter place and stretches westerly These two bodies of water are upwards 

 of 60 miles long and 1 to 6 miles wide, and, with their tributaries, have an area of 

 about 200 square miles. The water is quite shoal, rarely exceechng 10 feet and 

 averaging only 4 to 5. Two broad expansions, with numerous arms, known as 

 North and Newport rivers, occur at the intersection of the two sounds, and dis- 

 charge through Beaufort Inlet; while White Oak River enters the extreme west- 

 ern end of Bogue Sound and discharges through Bogue Inlet. The "banks" 

 separating these sounds from the sea are very narrow and in places quite elevated, 

 owing to the drifting of the sand. About midway a long narrow tongue projects 

 southward, forming Cape Lookout, the "bight" of which, on its western side, 

 affords a fine harbor for small craft and constitutes a great natural fish trap. 

 The waters of this section abound with the characteristic salt-water fishes of the 

 state, and are particularly noted for the immense quantities of mullet, squeteague, 

 spot, croaker, whiting, drum, blue-fish, Spanish mackerel, menhaden, etc., which 

 visit them; several of these species are here taken in greater numbers than any- 

 where else. 



To the southward of Bogue Inlet, the coast is fringed with numerous small, 

 shallow sounds into or through some of which streams of considerable volume 

 discharge; the chief of these are Stump Sound, entered by New River and com- 

 municating with the ocean through New River Inlet; Topsail, Middle, Masonboro, 

 and Myrtle sounds, all to northward of the Cape Fear River. 



North Carolina is singularly deficient in lakes, and all those whose size 

 entitles them to mention in this connection are in the coastal plain region and for 

 the most part lie in groups. The most noteworthy group is in the broad penin- 

 sula lying between Albemarle Sound and Pa'iilico Sound and River, and includes 

 Mattamuskeet, Phelps or Scuppernong, Alligator, and Pungo lakes. 



Mattamuskeet, the largest North Carolina lake, occupies a considerable part 

 of Hyde county; its length is 14 miles and its greatest width 7 miles. The water 

 is very shallow, being only 2 j feet deep over a large part and having a maximum 

 depth of 7 feet in the middle of the western end. In winter and early spring the 

 lake is muddy and roily, owing to strong winds stirring the bottom and to the • 

 suspension of light soil and vegetable matter brought from the swamps and farm 



