POPULAR SALT-WATER FISHES 45 



Sturgeon: Caught with heavy tackle in 

 bottom-fishing in the larger rivers and estua- 

 ries during the summer. There are two species 

 on the Atlantic coast, one with a shorter and 

 blunter nose than the other. The Sturgeon 

 leaps entirely out of the water at dusk. It 

 attains a length of twelve feet and a weight of 

 five hundred pounds. Its mouth is upon the 

 under surface of the head, and it has no teeth; 

 it grubs for its food in the mud. 



Surf -Fish (Perch, Porgy, Porgee, Minny, 

 Sparada, Moharra, etc.) : Caught in shallow 

 water, as a rule, in the sea and bays, with 

 small- fish, crab, clam, and worm bait on 

 medium and light tackle, from Cerros Island 

 to Sitka, abundantly on the coast of California. 

 There are about twenty species of so-called 

 Surf- Fish, forming a characteristic feature of 

 the fauna of the Pacific coast, the group's 

 centre of distribution being from Santa Bar- 

 bara to Tomales Bay. The largest species 

 weigh up to four pounds ; the smallest measure 

 a length of five inches. 



S word-Fish : Caught on the heaviest tackle, 

 along the Atlantic coast of America from 

 Jamaica, latitude 18 N., Cuba, and the Ber- 

 mudas to Cape Breton, latitude 47 N. ; also in 

 Southern California, latitude 34 N., and other 

 waters. Most abundant on the shoals near 

 the shore and on the banks during July and 

 August, often appearing on the frequented 

 cruising grounds between Montauk Point and 

 the eastern part of George's Banks in May and 

 June. Like the Bluefish, Bonito, Squeteague, 

 etc., the Sword- Fish pursues and feeds upon 

 Menhaden, Mackerel, etc. Its dorsal fin and 

 the upper lobe of its caudal fin project out of 

 the water when the fish swims near the surface. 

 A specimen taken off Portland weighed six 

 hundred pounds. One taken off Edgartown, 

 Mass., weighed seven hundred pounds, and 

 had a sword nearly six feet in length. The 

 species attacks vessels. 



Tarpum (Tarpon, Jew-Fish, Silver King, Sil- 

 ver-Fish, Grand Ecaille, Savanilla, Grandykye, 

 Giant Herring, etc.) : Caught on a firm casting 

 rod and special tarpum tackle with mullet bait. 

 Occurs in the Western Atlantic and in the 



