To CATCH AND COOK TAUTOG. 115 



" Now tail and fins are nicely shortened in their termina- 

 tion, not hacked off. A little salt is thrown over the fish, 

 merely to harden and not salt it, and it lies two hours fqf this 

 purpose. It is then scored^ that it may not break when it 

 swells,, and browned well upon the gridiron, from which it 

 is carefully taken up, and laid to repose upon a bed of nicely- 

 peeled and very fresh mushrooms, daintily spread over the 

 strainer. 



" While the fish was hardening, Mary has had a communi- 

 cation from up stairs. An extra bottle of the Chateau of 

 twenty-five had been unavailingly opened the day before to 

 tempt a total abstinence friend who had arrived from the 

 country. Good part of it remains, and at this moment it is 

 decanted into the stew-pan ; the freighted strainer descends 

 into the wine, and the fish, entirely immersed in the amethys- 

 tine element, regrets no more its loss of life, of liberty, and 

 youth. A white onion or two is sliced into rings, that fall as 

 decorations over him; a few berries of pepper thrown in; six 

 cloves ; two blades of mace ; an eschalot, if you think proper ; 

 and Cayenne or not, according to your taste. The stew-pan 

 is then covered, and a careful, slow, epicurean simmer com- 

 pletes the work." 



During winter the blackfish hibernates under rocks in the 

 bays and estuaries, as proven by the vent entirely closing 

 and a thin film growing over the mouth. In the spring they 

 appear with the dogwood blossom and the chestnut leaves. 



" When chestnut leaves are as big as thumb-nail, 

 Then bite blackfish without fail ; 

 But when chestnut leaves are as long as a span, 

 Then catch blackfish if you can." 



In angling for the tautog, use a heavy bass rod, heavy trac- 

 ing sinker like that for sheepshead, but hooks of the Virginia 

 bend and short nib. Swivel sinkers are preferred by some. 

 Let the point of hook be very sharp. Sometimes striped 

 bass, sea bass, squeteague, grunters, and sheepshead feed with 

 the tautog. It is necessary, therefore, to rig with as large a 



