ON THE EAST COAST OF FLORIDA. 9 



affairs before the advent of the steamboat, the railway, and last, but 

 not least, the ice factory, which were quickly followed by the "man 

 with the net." 



The above mentioned factors have measurably decreased the num- 

 ber of fishes, but there are still enough left to satisfy the average 

 sport fisher, who is willing and persevering. My book is written with 

 the intention of giving, to the best of my ability, the conditions 

 existing at the present time on the entire coast, and I will refer those 

 of my readers who wish to read of the fishing "as it used to be " to 

 the writers I have already mentioned. 



In the next chapter I will give a list of the fishes I have caught, 

 observed, or know to have been caught on the coast ; and in succeed- 

 ing chapters will give list of baits, natural and artificial, which, 

 according to my experience, should be used for each kind of fish ; 

 and a description of the tackle I consider necessary. After the 

 above, I will treat of the fishing places I consider of importance, 

 stating the variety of fishes at each place, and how, and where, to 

 fish for them. 



At the risk of wearying the reader with a too long introductory 

 chapter, I close this one by quoting the opinions of some very high 

 authorities regarding the coasts of Florida as to their angling resorts. 

 Barton W. Evermann, Ichthyologist of United States Fish Commis- 

 sion, in a paper read at Fishery Congress, held at Tampa, Fla., January 

 19, 1898, says: "There is perhaps no State in the Union whose 

 fishes have attracted more general attention than those of Florida. 

 The interest in the fishes of this State is shared by the commercial 

 fisherman, the angler and the ichthyologist. 



"The number of species that are sought because of their com- 

 mercial value is far greater than in any other section of Amer- 

 ica. Those that are of interest to the angler are more numerous 

 than any other State can boast, while the richness and peculiarities 

 of the fish fauna of Florida have made this State a fascinating field 

 to the ichthyologist and student of geographic distribution." " The 

 total number of fishes known from Floridian waters is about 600, or 

 about one-fifth of the entire fauna of America, north of Panama. ' ' 

 "The warm waters of the Keys serve as a more or less effective 

 barrier to the passage of fishes living in colder water. As a result, 



