466 FISHING IN AMERICAN WATERS. 



from the size of a minnow, or shiner, to the length of nearly 

 a foot. It is a very active and vigorous bait-fish, as scintil- 



THK SHADING. 



lant as a diamond. It is taken in great numbers in the bay- 

 ous of New Jersey, where it is preserved in olive-oil, and put 

 up like sardines. It is a new luxury ; but it is here intro- 

 duced as the best bait-fish, for either trolling or still-baiting 

 in a swift tideway, of any on the Atlantic coast. 



THE SILVER, OR GRAY MULLET. 



This is a beautiful fish, white and scintillant below the 

 lateral line, with infinitesimal scales. Its favorite feeding- 

 ground is along the coasts of Maryland, Virginia, and the 

 Carolinas ; its weight is from a quarter to two pounds ; very 

 tender, toothless mouth ; to be fished for with fly-hooks, like 

 the smelt, baited >with a bit of fish or clam. Back of head, 

 black ; dorsal and caudal fins, dark-gray ; lower fins, very 

 light. 



The white mullet is taken in the bays and saline estuaries 

 of the Carolinas and Virginia, in night-time, by rigging a 

 punt with boards painted white and attached to boat at 

 each side, and lighted by a pine-knot fire on the bow of the 

 boat, when one person rows gently, and a second person raps 

 with his hands each side of the boat. Attracted by the 

 light, the white boards at the sides, and the thumping noise 



