THE TARPON 61 



ing the dorsal to the right or left so determining the direc- 

 tion of the fall." 

 Ever since I heard that anyone entertained the belief that 

 the jump of a tarpon was influenced by the action of the pro- 

 longed dorsal filament, I have watched many fish leap so as 

 to verify this conclusion. When a free fish is pursued by a 

 shark it sometimes jumps. A portion of its body is exposed 

 while rolling and infrequently it clears the water when not 

 pursued. When on the hook five or six jumps are commonly 

 observed and eight or nine are not uncommon. Whether free 

 or on the line it is most erratic in its jumping and falls back 

 with a splash, apparently heedless of the part of its body which 

 will first strike the water, and it does so in a most awkward 

 fashion — not at all like a kingfish, whose jumps are calculated 

 and clean. When in the air, ordinarily but not always, the body 

 of the fish is bent in convulsive struggles. There is nothing in 

 the anatomical or muscular structure of the tarpon that lends 

 color to the theory that the fish controls its jumps by manipu- 

 lating its dorsal fin by the use of the ray and after observing 

 hundreds of fish I am satisfied that this is not the case. I bring 

 this interesting theory to the attention of keen-eyed guides and 

 fellow anglers for more extended observation. 



The tarpon leaps from fear, if a fish can be said to have fear, 

 to escape an enemy, to throw off remoras, and also for pure 

 enjoyment. It will habitually come to the surface and blow 

 and roll, as the phrase is, without attempting a leap. When in 

 this mood it is usually hard to induce it to take the bait. It 

 leaps to avoid the shark — its ancient enemy since the Mesozoic. 

 It steals or dashes upon schools of mullet and other small fish, 

 usually seizing them by the tail (Gill). It will follow these 

 schools up fresh water rivers and along shallow places near 

 shore. Dr. Townsend reports that the captive tarpon in the 

 N. Y. Aquarium took the fish fed them 'Svith a side wise snap." 

 Its hard month is well adapted to fed on crabs which in season 

 is a favorite bait. 



