SHEEPSHEAD FISHIHG. 



ON the subject of sheepshead, I shall be brief, 

 since there are few whose curiosity shall lead them 

 to peruse these pages, who have not, either as 

 fishermen or gastronomes, a familiar acquaintance 

 with them. They are spread along our coast, from 

 Florida to New York ; but they who taste them at 

 our great marts of business, after they havejbeen 

 captured at some distant point, and shut up, during 

 a sea voyage, in the well of a smack, can have lit- 

 tle understanding of their true culinary value. 

 They should be eaten fresh ; and, when boiled or 

 broiled, are surpassed in flavor only by the cav al- 

 ley which holds the same rank among sea-fish, 

 that the salmon does among those which inhabit 

 the rivers. The drum and bass, on the contrary, 

 are to be dressed in steaks, cut crosswise, and fried ; 

 and I may be forgiven, perhaps, for adding, that a 

 grating of nutmeg sprinkled over them, before they 

 are laid in the pan, has been deemed, by discrimi- 

 nating palates, to add richness to the flavor. But 

 we anticipate : the old and approved formula 



