SOUTHERN COAST FISHES. 4OI 



LABRACID^. 



Striped Bass, or Rockfish. — Roccus lineatus. Gill. 



Body above dusky ; sides and belly silvery white ; sides marked 

 with seven or eight longitudinal lines of a bluish color. Grow to 

 a large size, but not so large as those taken off the coast of Massa- 

 chusetts. Taken in both salt and fresh water, although it is 

 really a marine species. Its habits in southern waters differ some- 

 what from its habits in northern waters. It is seldom taken in 

 salt water, but is constantly seen in rivers of fresh water at great 

 distances from the ocean, even as far up the Mississippi as St. 

 Louis. It is common in White River, Arkansas, and in the rivers 

 of all the Southern States. It feeds on various small fish, and on 

 crustaceous animals, and never destroys its own kind, like the 

 bluefish. Taken with rod and reel. [See Striped Bass in North- 

 ern Coast Fishes.] 



White ^-Es-Q-n.—Morone americana. Gill. 



Back and sides pale silver grey ; belly silver white ; two dorsal 

 fins ; length twelve inches, rarely exceeding two and one-half 

 pounds in weight. Found in both salt and fresh water from Massa- 

 chusetts to South Carolina. It is really a marine species. Takes 

 minnow, the soft or " peeler " crayfish, soft or hard crab, or pieces 

 of perch. In early spring there is excellent fishing at the Little 

 Falls of the Potomac. The perch, with the herring and shad, 

 ascend the river to spawn, and remain in this locality two or three 

 weeks before returning to salt water. During the season it is a 

 very common thing to take them weighing from three-quarters of 

 a pound to a pound and a quarter each, and measuring from six 

 to twelve inches in length, and when of this size they make a de- 

 lightful pan fish. But before speaking of the habits of the perch, 

 a brief description of their favorite haunts will not be out of place. 

 Their spawning grounds extend all the way from Ead's Mill to 

 the foot of the Little Falls, a distance of about a mile. The river 

 between these points varies in width from seventy-five to one hun- 

 dred and fifty yards, and in depth Irom four to fifty feet. The 

 bottom is rocky, and at low tide numerous rocks are visible above 

 the surface of the water. The shores on both sides are almost a 



