The Tarpon 229 
slender, reaching backward halfway to the base 
of the tail. The latter is deeply forked, a power- 
ful organ by which the tarpon leaps. The most 
remarkable feature is the scales, which are enor- 
mous, the largest being three inches and a half 
in length. One in my possession measures three 
inches and a half by three, almost one-half seem- 
ingly covered with molten silver. The upper 
portion of the back has a metallic blue cast, 
appearing green in the water; the rest of the 
body is pure silver. 
The tarpon is found along the Atlantic coast 
from Long Island to Brazil, but not in sufficient 
quantities north of Florida or the St. Johns River 
to assure sport. In the waters about the south- 
ern portion of the Peninsula, on both sides, it is 
very common, but is not plentiful on the extreme 
outer reef from Key West to Loggerhead. In 
six or seven years very few were seen. The 
localities famous for them on the Florida coast 
are in a general sense from the St. Johns to 
Biscayne, Indian River, Lake Worth, and Fort 
Meyer. Other localities made famous by anglers 
are Captiva Pass, Boca Grande Pass, Marco, 
Naples, Pine Island, and Homassossa. Here the 
fish is known as the tarpon or silver-king, but on 
