40 



WHERE, WHEN, AND HOW TO CATCH FISH 



knife-shaped ; upper jaw from eye about 1^ times as long as the rest 

 of the head; eye large, 7 in snout, 2fi in postorbital part of head, 

 and 14 in interorbital width; maxillary entirely covered by the pre- 

 orbital ; cheeks densely scaled ; opercles mostly naked except along 

 the anterior margin ; scales of body minute, especially above ; dorsal 

 fin low posteriorly, the height of its anterior lobe equaling that of 

 anal or length of postorbital part of head, its longest ray -| the base 

 of the fin, last rays of dorsal and anal much elevated in young ; 

 caudal lunate, its lower lobe nearly half longer than the upper ; 

 middle rays about as long as eye ; ventrals inserted midway between 

 base of caudal and middle of eye, their length a little less than that 

 of pectoral, and equal to postorbital part of head, insertion of anal 

 opposite that of dorsal. Color green, silvery below ; no lateral 

 stripe ; pectorals and dorsal blackish ; scales and bones green. 

 Length, 3 to 5 feet." 



All Needlefishes are worthless, and only mentioned as a curiosity. 

 Very troublesome while fishing with any Crustacean or Mollusk bait 

 for Bonefish, as they eat your bait out of its shell, first boring into 

 the shell. Weight, y± pound to 10 pounds, my experience. Non- 

 edible. 



M : -^^ < 



33 



EXOCCETUS VOLITANS." 



Illustration. Page. 



318 734 



Flying Fish. 



Head 4^; depth 61. D. 12; A. 11 ; scales, 

 55, 25 before ventrals, 30 before dorsal ; 6 rows be- 

 tween dorsal and lateral line. Snout rather obtuse, 4 in head ; eye 



