IX SMALL FISHING 99 



handsome fish, and own cousin to the maigre which we find 



in the Mediterranean and sometimes on the British coast. 



The Jew -fish of the Australian colonies is another relative. 



It is stated that " channel bass " is a characteristic name 



applied properly only to large individuals taken in channels, 



and that the smaller fish of the species are roughly called bass 



or school bass. In Florida no distinction is made ; the fish is 



always called bass, just as the squeteague is always called 



trout. They run in weight up to 50 lbs. 



.The Ravallia is the snook of the Gulf coast. It also bears 



the Spanish name of robalo, with a number of other designations. 



In many features it reminds one of the pike perch 



Ravallia. 

 of Germany. In science it is known as the 



Centropomus undeciinalis ; its length is about 3 feet, and it is 



predatory to the backbone. The ravallia ought to be a capital 



game fish, though Jordan says that it is seldom taken by the 



angler. Snook seems rather an ignoble name to apply to a 



respectable raider amongst other fishes, but the word is a 



corruption of snoek, which is to this day the Dutch name for 



pike. 



The snapper is, I think, correctly placed by Dr. Gunther 



amongst the perches, though Jordan, the American scientist. 



