276 WHERE, WHEN, AND HOW TO CATCH FISH 



RESUME. 



In conclusion, I will say that inasmuch as there has certainly been 

 two different fishes in Florida called Bonefish, and two different ones 

 called Ladyfish, two so called by the residents and sportsmen, and 

 the other two so called by the scientific men, it was natural that the 

 confusion of names should arise. Although the scientific men have 

 been technically right all the time, some of them have, in my opinion, 

 added to the confusion in some of the ranges of habitat and edible 

 qualities. For instance, Gunther says of " Albula " (the Bonefish of 

 Biscayne Bay and the Keys): " It grows to a length of two to three 

 feet, and not valued as food." Now, no bonefish has been caught in 

 Biscayne Bay and among the Keys which has weighed over 10^ 

 pounds, or measured over two feet long, but he may reach a length of 

 three feet in the West Indian, or other tropical seas ; and the fish is 

 in Florida, Cuba, and Nassau considered a fairly edible one. I class 

 him B, but "tastes differ," and many people consider him A No. 1, 

 and A. He says of the " Elops saurus," " It exceeds a length of 

 three feet and is not esteemed as food," which is, I think, correct. 



Jordan & Gilbert, page 258, say of the Albula vulpes : "Cape 

 Cod to Southern California and East Indies, abundant in tropical 

 seas. " Only an occasional straggler has been found north of Biscayne 

 Bay, a few in Lake Worth, and occasionally one caught in net by 

 market fishermen near Indian River Inlet. 



H. M. Smith, in "Annotated List of Fishes known to inhabit the 

 Woods Hole Region," says, under heading " Albula vulpes ".• "Very 

 rare, reported by Prof. Baird in 1871, and since observed only once 

 or twice. None seen for many years." 



They say, " Not much valued as food, but beautiful and gamy," 

 which, in my opinion, is incorrect as to edible qualities. They say 

 of £ lops saurus, "A handsome fish, not rare on our Atlantic coast." 

 Which I think correct, if confined to southern part of the coast, say 

 from Virginia south. 



Jordan & Evermann say of Albula vulpes : " Length 18 inches 

 to 3 feet, and a beautiful and active fish, in most places little valued 

 as food, but in some regions, as Key West, highly appreciated." 



