END OF CLASSIFICATION. 31 



I am not aware that the American fish is ever eaten, though 

 it is very abundant on the coasts ; in appearance, it so closely 

 resembles the European species, that on a slight inspection it 

 would be taken for it. 



The Sand Launce {Ammoclytes Lanceu), is also held in high 

 estimation as a bait for sea and hand lines, owing to its silvery 

 brightness. It is for the former of these little fish that the 

 Blue Fish [Temnodon Saltator), and the Striped Bass {Labrax 

 Lineatus), strike at the polished bone, pearl, or metal squid, as it 

 is termed, of the fisherman, when it is made to play with a rota- 

 tory motion, glancing through the water, in the wake of a swift- 

 sailing boat, or in the surf upon the outer beaches. 



Having now accomplished the dry work of enumerating and 

 classifying those of the fish of America, whether fresh or salt- 

 water, which I consider worthy of the sportsman^s notice, I 

 shall proceed to describe them more or less briefly, according to 

 the degree of interest attaching to their habits, migrations, 

 growth, and breeding; and thereafter to the best and most 

 improved mode of taking them ; best, I mean, as regards art, 

 piscatorial science, and sport, not looking to the mere amount 

 of slaughter, but considering in this instance the suaviter in 

 modo, long before the mere fortiter in re. 



And here I will venture to request my reader, who may have 

 proceeded thus far in this volume without finding very much to 

 interest or enlighten him, not to lay by its pages in disgust ; as 

 this portion, necessarily partaking much of the character of a 

 catalogue, can hardly be expected to be very amusing, while I 

 think I can promise that he will find something to awaken his 

 interest, whether he be a scientific naturalist or a mere sports- 



