The Tarpon 229 



slender, reaching backward halfway to the base 

 of the tail. The latter is deeply forked, a power- 

 ful organ by which the tarpon leaps. The most 

 remarkable feature is the scales, which are enor- 

 mous, the largest being three inches and a half 

 in length. One in my possession measures three 

 inches and a half by three, almost one-half seem- 

 ingly covered with molten silver. The upper 

 portion of the back has a metallic blue cast, 

 appearing green in the water; the rest of the 

 body is pure silver. 



The tarpon is found along the Atlantic coast 

 from Long Island to Brazil, but not in sufficient 

 quantities north of Florida or the St. Johns River 

 to assure sport. In the waters about the south- 

 ern portion of the Peninsula, on both sides, it is 

 very common, but is not plentiful on the extreme 

 outer reef from Key West to Loggerhead. In 

 six or seven years very few were seen. The 

 localities famous for them on the Florida coast 

 are in a general sense from the St. Johns to 

 Biscayne, Indian River, Lake Worth, and Fort 

 Meyer. Other localities made famous by anglers 

 are Captiva Pass, Boca Grande Pass, Marco, 

 Naples, Pine Island, and Homassossa. Here the 

 fish is known as the tarpon or silver-king, but on 



