FISHING IN AMERICAN WATERS. 



CHAPTER I. 



GENERAL CHARACTERIZATION OF FISHES. 

 SECTION FIRST. 



ON seriously contem- 

 plating the immensity 

 of the waters and their 

 innumerable inhabit- 

 ants, it is not difficult to 

 realize the importance 

 of these branches of ma- 

 terial and animal na- 

 ture, and I shall con- 

 sider myself fortunate 

 if able to present rea- 

 sons sufficient to induce 

 the employment of an 

 amount of time at all 

 commensurate with the proper division of labor between land 

 and water for the purposes of health, wealth, and recreation. 

 Not only has a larger portion of this terraqueous ball been 

 bequeathed to fish-kind than to mankind, but " its first fam- 

 ilies" were also more richly endowed by Providence in beauty 

 of form and of coloring. There was a period when all the in- 

 habitants of this planet were fishes, previously to the sublime 

 moment when " GOD said ' Let the dry land appear.' " The 

 ancients thought that the illimitable beauties of the waters 

 were reflected in the heavens; hence they gave to the con- 

 stellations the names of fishes. Thus, prior to the time of 



B 



