I.DCAI. MlSNd.MKKS. 227 



TIIK CUM.Mn.N I'K KKUKI.. 



Etox ReticuUuus — Li>.i i.i u. 



TiiKoi liiioiT till- luited States, excepting only the extreme 

 western ami southern waters, this is pcrliaps the commonest of 

 all the game fishes; from New l-^n^huul to the western limits of 

 Pinnsylvania, nut a river, pond, or streamlet but al)()un(ls with 

 this bohl anil rapacious tish ; anil it is i)rol)al)le that, like many 

 other of the northern tish, he is fonnil in the waters of the hill 

 districts of Nirj^inia, Carolina, and even of the Western States, 

 although in such locations he is lost sight of among the tribes 

 peculiar to those regions. 



With regard to the SoutluTii States especially, it is almost 

 impossible to arrive at anything like certainty concerning the 

 species or varieties of game fish to be found within their limits, 

 from the universal misapplication of names, and the nnhappy 

 tendency of sportsmen, to which 1 have already made allusion, 

 to adopt any barbarous local misnomer, rather than to make 

 themselves acquainted \\ith tlic true specific names, ami to learn 

 the distinctions, so as to speak iindcrstandingly of the game 

 which they take. 



It is indeed a hopeless ta>k to hunt up the real peeuliarities 

 and true genera of fish, known in their own regions as the 

 " Welshman," the " Pampolin," and .such other denominations, 

 which of course arc not to Ik; found in any work of natund 

 history, N^hile the people, who arc in the habit of taking them 



