The Florida Jewfish 307 



night; but in the so-called winter months we 

 sought them in the outer channels, hence the be- 

 lief grew that they were slightly migratory. 



On the mainland coast of Florida the jewfish 

 can be found at Captiva, Palma, Sola, Charlotte 

 Harbor, the Biscayne Bay country ; and all along- 

 shore, where there are sheltered nooks, where a 

 channel runs in, and mangrove roots have rolled 

 down the bank, forming a cheveaux de frise, are 

 haunts to its fancy ; but among the outer keys the 

 fish is found along the base of deep coral groves. 

 Such a home I well recall on the southern end of 

 the great Tortugas lagoon so frequently changed 

 by hurricane and storm. I had been in quest of 

 the queen conch, a rarity even in this prolific 

 hunting-ground, and was slowly drifting over the 

 lagoon, eying the bottom through a glass observa- 

 tion box, when I suddenly came to the edge of the 

 reef, where the coral began. The water was from 

 twenty-five to thirty feet deep, now paved with 

 luxuriant, long-pronged branch coral that, under 

 the influence of the abundant food-supply, had 

 developed to an amazing extent. It appeared to 

 be five or more feet in height, surrounded by 

 masses of lavender-tinted gorgonias and plume- 

 like forms in rich browns, while dotting the bot- 



