Fort Myers 



of a small sailing cutter of six or seven tons, in 

 which we used to go up and down the Caloot- 

 shihatchi River, and sometimes make excur- 

 sions beyond those limits. 



A tarpon is a magnificent fish, and when 

 freshly caught its scales shine like beaten silver. 

 It is now so commonly seen in England in a 

 stuffed state that a description may almost 

 seem superfluous, but there may be those who 

 have never seen even a cased specimen. I 

 therefore shall try to describe, however in- 

 effectually, this very handsome fish. It is 

 supposed to be of the herring tribe, I say sup- 

 posed, for I do not think a great deal is known 

 about it in reality. Personally I could never see 

 such a striking resemblance to a herring, except 

 perhaps as regards the shape and projecting 

 under jaw and the more or less forked tail. It 

 has a curiously shaped addition or appendage 

 behind the dorsal fin, which is locally known as 

 the bayonet in fact, the resemblance to that 

 weapon is somewhat striking. The fish has a 

 hard, bony lower jaw, in shape somewhat like 

 the lower jaw of a man, but minus teeth ; the 

 lips and tongue in the fresh specimen are blackish, 

 and very hard and rough, which suggested to 

 me the idea that they prey not so much on fish 

 although I have seen them chasing fishes, 

 and have caught them with a hook baited with 

 a live mullet but rather that they habitually 



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