90 THE ENGLISH ANGLER IN FLORIDA 



marine perch was 796 lbs. The kodak (see page 61) has per- 

 formed its duty admirably with the group, which, besides the Jew- 

 fish, consists of eight tarpon, the largest of which was 1 1 2 lbs., 

 and the lady and gentleman who caught them the summer before 

 last at Captiva Pass. Such monsters have to be hauled by 

 dead weight hand over hand from the bottom, which is gener- 

 ally of rocks, and no better testimony could be afforded of the 

 sterling qualities of the American-made linen lines. This fish 

 is probably the black grouper. There are two kinds, and both 

 are called "Jew -fish," and also "Warsaw," Goode suggests 

 that these, which have been catalogued as Epinephehis nigritus 

 and Promicrops gtiasa respectively, are the young and adult of 

 the same species. 



Of the former. Professor Baird wrote : " The black grouper 

 is resident all the year, though not abundant. The greatest 

 size attained is about 1 5 pounds. They pass the winter in 

 the salt-water rivers, living in holes in the rocks, and under 

 roots and snags, and about piles. They are solitary in their 

 habits. They feed on small fish, particularly mullet, and on 

 crustaceans, and breed in the salt rivers in May and June. 

 Their spawn is very small, and pale yellow. They are taken 

 with hook and line by the use of mullet and crab bait, and arc 



