346 THE GROUPER. 



they resemble the above-mentioned fishes, the tail being large 

 and of the half-moon shape. 



The usual mode of capturing them is with heavy bone or 

 tin squids, although they will often jump at a red or white 

 rag. Enthusiastic anglers have been known to take them 

 with the rod and reel and gimp snells, but they are much too 

 powerful a fish, often jumping five or six feet out of the wa- 

 ter, and should not be trusted with any but the strongest 

 of tackle. They are an excellent table-fish. 



THE GROUPER 



Is another exclusive sea-fish, and is caught in the Gulf of 

 Mexico, on the Florida reefs, at the Bahama Islands, and on 

 the South American coast, mostly for the market, by deep- 

 water fishermen, with clams, mullet, and crab for bait, al- 

 though they are sought after and often taken by the angler 

 by trolling deep with heavy metal squids armed with large- 

 size cod-hooks. In form they resemble an immense sheeps- 

 head. In color they are a dark gray on the back, blending 

 into nearly a white on the belly. By the Southern people 

 they are ranked quite equal in flavor to many of their most 

 esteemed fishes. They are certainly a rich-meated and much- 

 favored fish; weight from ten to upward of one hundred 

 pounds. 



" All hail to the grouper, the pride of our coast, 

 To boil or to bake, to fry or to roast, 

 'Tia the prince, 'tis the king-, yea, even the boss, 

 Served with butter, with shrimp, or pure lobster sauce I " 



