886 



BONETTA, OR BONITO. 



line waves prettily along its course, pectoral fin rather 

 short, and contains twenty-four rays ; the ventral smaller, 

 and has six, the anal fourteen ; caudal twenty-four, with 

 some imperfect ones. Tail forked and almost lunated ; three 

 longitudinal excrescences on each side." 



Caught all along the coast from New York to Florida, and 

 in the Gulf of Mexico ; afford good sport with the trolling- 

 line and metal squid, and are sometimes taken with the rod 

 and reel and heavy implements, as in casting for the striped 

 basse. Is a good broiler, and very highly esteemed at the 

 South, where they sing his praises in rhyme in the following 

 lines : 



'' Bright bonetta I or bonito ! 



It matters not to me 



What they call thee, 



Thou Adonis of the sea ! 



Oh, what rapture 



In thy capture, 



Or, when served 



Upon the platter. 



For breakfast or for tea, 



It matters not to me, 



None is richer, none is fatter, 



Than the Adonis of the sea 1 " 



FRESH-WATER FISHES. 



TIME OF SPAWNING. 



Salmon 



Brook Trout . . . 



Grayling 



Pike, Pickerel . 



Perch . 



Pike, Perch, or Glass-Eye 



Sunfifh 



Carp 



November to March. 



October to February inclusive. 



March and April. 



February to April. 



March and April. 



February and April. 



May to September. 



