132 A NATURE WOOING. 



overdrawn "fish story," but, taking into considera- 

 tion to-day's experience, and B.'s reputation for ve- 

 racity, have concluded that it may be relied upon. 



This mullet, Mugil cephalus L., is a fish of wide 

 range, occurring in the Atlantic from Cape Cod to 

 Brazil ; also along the coasts of southern Europe and 

 northern Africa, as well as in the Pacific from Monte- 

 rey to Chili. 



Like the common fresh water "suckers" of the 

 north, it travels in schools, and seldom, if ever, bites 

 the hook. It reaches the length of two feet, has a 

 rather flat head and large eyes, abdominal ventral 

 fins, and soft rays. The flesh of the mullet is soft 

 and bony, and soon spoils ; but it is much used for 

 food on account of its great numbers and the ease 

 with which it is taken. 



Besides the mullet and the "sea trout," already 

 mentioned, the drum-fish, Pogonias cromis L., is often 

 caught from the bridge at Ormond, one specimen 

 weighing forty-five pounds having been taken in Feb- 

 ruary. It is rather a coarse fish, of no grea.t value as 

 food. The largest specimen on record was taken a few 

 years ago at St. Augustine, and weighed 146 pounds. 

 Sea-bass, Scwenops ocettatus L., weighing ten to sixty 

 pounds, are frequently caught in the surf, as are also 

 sharks of much larger size. 



Near where we landed on the peninsula, a pretty 

 woodland path has been cut out through the under- 

 brush across that body of land to the sea. By pass- 



