THE GAME FISH OF NORTH AMERICA. 21 



scientific branches of the piscatory art ; nor will the shoal-water, or 

 bay and estuary fishing, as they are practised on our coasts, be denied 

 so many pages, as will appear proportionate to the number or excel- 

 lence of the species taken in that sport. Many of these are delicious 

 fish on the table ; but the sport of taking them consists, principally, 

 in the frequency of their biting ; and the skill requisite for their cap- 

 ture lies mainly in the knowing the most favorable bottom-grounds, 

 the state of the tides and eddies most propitious to success, and the 

 most killing baits at various seasons. 



In throwing out and drawing in the bait, there is, comparatively 

 speaking, small science ; and taking the fish when once hooked, little 

 skill and small judgment ; temper, and a moderate degree of patience, 

 alone seem needful. 



It is not, indeed, to be denied that in this, as in all other ground- 

 bait and bottom-fishing, an old experienced angler shall take many 

 times more fish than the tyro sitting alongside of him in the same 

 boat, and working with apparatus precisely similar, and baits identical. 



This is, however, to be attributed much to practice, and habit — much 

 to watchful observation of minutiae, such as the foulling of the line, 

 the correct depth cf the plummet or sinker, and such like — and more 

 to delicacy of hand in feeling, appreciating and humoring the victim, 

 when coquetting and nibbling about the bait. It cannot be likened 

 to the skill exerted in casting and managing the fly, or the spinning-- 

 minnow ; much less to the playing, killing and basketing the heaviest 

 kind of fish with the lightest running tackle. 



It must be acquired by habit and practice, if it be thought worth 

 the trouble of acquisition, but it can scarcely be taught at all by 

 instruction or example; and written precepts to this end would be 

 altogether worthless, as they would be dull, and unamusing. 



I shall now proceed to the enumeration of the Game Fishes of the 

 United States and British Provinces of North America, according to 

 my understanding of their game qualities — regarding them, first, under 

 their great divisions of fresh and salt-water fish ; then as migratory or 

 non-migratory, and deep-sea or shoal-water. 



And here I shall observe that I adopt these grand divisions as para- 

 mount to the natural distinctions of genera, families, and the like, as 

 1 concL'ive that such a treatment of my subject will be most condu- 



