THE ANGLER AND HUNTSMAN 53 



The "muskie" is provided by nature with a formidable 

 weapon in the shape of a very large mouth and strong 

 teeth, enabling it to capture with comparative ease living 

 fish, which forms its principal diet. In order to effect 

 their capture, it lies in ambush for them among the water- 

 plants that carpet the lake or river bed, springing sudden- 

 ly upon its prey with lightning-like quickness. Prom its 

 very nature it is a hard and fast striker, hence much 

 sought after by anglers. 



The Yellow Perch: 



This fish (Perca flavescens), besides being known as 

 yellow perch, is called ring perch, striped perch and rac- 

 coon perch. It is very strikingly marked and is one of the 

 best known fresh-water fishes of the Atlantic and North 

 Central States. It is classified as of the spiny-rayed type 

 and by some scientists is given first place among fishes. 

 Its range extends from Nova Scotia to North Carolina in 

 coastwise waters, throughout the Great Lakes, and the 

 Upper Mississippi Valley, being abundant almost wherever 

 found. It bites readily at the baited hook and is caught 

 in large quantities by anglers. 



The Striped Bass and the White Perch: 



This fish, sometimes called the rockfish (Eoccus line- 

 atus), ranges from New Brunswick to western Florida, and 

 is especially abundant from New York to North Carolina. 

 It is readily caught by anglers on the coast and in the bays, 

 sounds, and streams. 



The white perch (Morone americana) is of the 

 same family as the striped bass, closely resembling it in 

 range, habits, etc., but it grows much smaller than the lat- 

 ter. At that, it is one of our choicest pan fishes. 



The Sturgeons: 



We have half a dozen species of sturgeon in the waters 

 of the United States, as follows: The common and the 



