CHAPTER XII 



STRIPED MULLET SHARKS BIRD LIFE 



STRIPED MULLET (Mugil cephalus) 



THE adventitious interest that attaches to this active fish is that 

 to it we owe all our tarpon, for the tarpon baits are cut from its 

 white stomach, four from each fish. It seems identical with 

 the British grey mullet, a similar slimy fish which feeds by 

 a kind of suction among the sea herbage. There is, however, 

 this difference that the Florida mullet is for ever jumping on 

 all sides of your boat in shallow water, and is surrounded by 

 many enemies, whereas the grey mullet at home has, at any 

 rate in the grown-up stage, few enemies beyond man, whom it 

 is generally able to elude. The same fish in Florida seas has so 

 many foes, and is bait for so many monsters, that the wonder 

 is it survives in such quantities. 



During the tarpon season the one family of fishermen at 



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