THE TARPON 21 



cause tarpon shun the cool water. Few fishes seem to be able 

 to withstand marked and sudden changes in temperature, and 

 the tarpon is no exception. During a cold wave in Florida 

 which occurred on January 26-27, 1905, the tarpon were be- 

 numbed by the cold and large numbers became so helpless that 

 they were easily harpooned. (Mr. E. J. Brown in Forest and 

 Stream). It apparently cannot stand sudden changes in tem- 

 perature ; but it is indisputable that it has a range over 80 de- 

 grees of latitude. 



Its breeding habits are unknown and so far no one has def- 

 initely reported that he has seen the spawn of the tarpon. 



My investigations have been confined to the waters in and 

 about Charlotte Harbor, which is a large bay about sixty miles 

 south of Tampa Bay and one hundred and fifty miles north of 

 Key "West. A few Passes connect it with the Gulf of Mexico. 

 It has an area of 111 square miles and a mean range of tide 

 of 1.4 feet. Peace River flows into its northern end and it 

 drains about 200O square miles of Florida. The Miakka River 

 empties into the Harbor on the northwest shore about six miles 

 from Punta Gorda. Southerly lies Pine Island Sound and San 

 Carlos Bay, into which the Caloosahatchee River flows. The 

 Harbor extends to the east about eleven miles and its mean 

 width is 5V2 miles. Its waters are shallow and in places brack- 

 ish. Its bottom varies from coral formation to earth covered 

 in places with water loving vegetation interspersed with bare 

 spots. If the tarpon breed in this latitude, it would seem that 

 this Harbor and the streams which flow into it afford every 

 variety of food, depth and character of water suited to their 

 needs. 



Some fish can be found at any time along the West Coast of 

 Florida, but comparatively few large ones winter as far north 

 as Charlotte Harbor. There were many tarpon at Boca 

 Grande in November and early December 1934; but normally 

 few are seen during these months. Some large ones seek deep 

 holes and remain during the Winter. Small fish can always 



