CHAPTER X. 



THE SHARKS. THE SAWFISH. 



SHARKS. Several species are found on the Florida coast ; the 

 common brown, or dusky shark, the shovel-nose, the hammer-head, 

 the sand shark, the nurse shark. In warm weather most of these 

 are abundant, ferocious and troublesome. They cannot bear cold 

 weather, and it sometimes happens in the spring, when a warm spell 

 has brought the sharks from the Gulf Stream to the coast that a sud- 

 den fall in the temperature destroys many of these delicate mon- 

 sters. The common brown shark grows to the length of eight or 

 nine feet, and destroys great quantities of fish. When ''abundant,, 

 they, like the wolves, take courage from their numbers, and become 

 bold and aggressive, although usually they are cowardly for creatures 

 of their size and strength. At such times they will take large bass 

 and other fish away from the angler as he plays them. They are 

 sure to take the bait if they see it, and when hooked the shark takes- 

 a turn near the surface, and usually cuts off the hook, unless it i& 

 fixed, where the teeth cannot touch it. In that case a shark of good 

 size can be played and killed on a rod. I have killed several of five 

 feet long, and they did not make so long a fight as a red bass of half 

 that size. I once killed a shark five feet long weighing perhaps fifty 

 pounds, in half an hour ; when gaffed it was found to be hooked 

 on the outside, near the pectoral fin ; so that the fish could exert all 

 its strength. "When catching red bass on the sand shoals near the 

 Inlet, I have known the sharks to collect about the boat in such 



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