96 THE ENGLISH ANGLER IN FLORIDA ix 



rivers of Florida the sheepshead becomes almost a fresh-water 

 species, being constantly taken in seines in company with 

 bass, perch, and suckers, far above the limits of perceptibly 

 brackish water. It seems to derive its name from the some- 

 what sheepy expression imparted to its countenance by the 

 peculiar mouth and teeth, and partly also from its innocent 

 habits of browsing amongst subaqueous vegetation. Though 

 not, strictly speaking, a sporting fish, it is to be reckoned 

 amongst the genuine spoils of the small fisher. It is fished for 

 mostly by the natives with some of the small Crustacea — 

 shrimps or crabs for choice if they are in season ; but oysters 

 fresh from the shell, or even boiled, are found excellent bait. 



This fish gave us plenty of pretty sport at the Captiva Pass 

 and other fishing grounds. You might imagine' from the 

 The Spotted frequency with which the sacred name of trout is 

 Squeteague. uttered in these fishing resorts of Florida that you 

 are in Hampshire or Derbyshire. The reference, however, 

 is invariably to the spotted squeteague, or weak fish, one 

 variety of which is called the sea or deep-water trout in 

 other parts of America. Our fish was the spotted squete- 

 ague {Otolithus carolinensis or Cynoscion inaculatus\ and very 

 prettily spotted it was. 



