THE GAME FISHES OP THE WOELD 



In and about tlie four islands of Japan — ^Hondo, Hokkaido, 

 Kiusui and Shikoku, there are nine hundred species of fishes, 

 many of which can be included in the term game, i.e., edible, 

 and hard fighters on rod and reel. Add to these about two hun- 

 dred species from the islands to the north, and we have, accord- 

 ing to Jordan, a grand total of one thousand one hundred species, 

 fifty of which are from the lakes and rivers. 



So similar are the fishes of China, that a description of one prac- 

 tically applies to the other. In l^orthern Japan, or north of 

 Tania and Mats-shima Bay, we find saln;ion and trout and good 

 sport. In the south, there are trout, though gradually disap- 

 pearing, the Ayu or Japanese dwarf salmon taking their place. 



The Japanese have a large catfish called IfTamazu {Parasilurus 

 asotiis) that affords a certain amount of exhilaration in the catch- 

 ing. Dr. Gunther, the English author, pointed out a remark- 

 able similarity between the fishes of Japan and those from the 

 Mediterranean. This he explained by stating that at one time 

 the coast of Spain and Italy had a continuous line to Japan. 

 Japan has four hundred and eighty-three or more genera of 

 marine fishes. Of these, one hundred and fifty-six are common 

 to the Mediterranean, one himdred and eighty-eight to the West 

 Indies and Japan, one hundred and sixty-nine to the Pacific 

 coast of Japan, California and Mexico. When we come to 

 Hawaii, the angler will take there ninety genera which he has 

 landed in Japan, and the angler of iNew Zealand takes sixty- 

 two, which are common in Japan, two hundred and four are 

 identical in India and Japan ; and the members of the angUng 

 clubs of AustraUa catch two hundred different genera identical 

 with those taken in India ; hence, even to the angler, the geo- 

 graphical distribution of fishes is a fascinating study, and can be 

 used in a way in determining the rise and faU of continents and the 

 existence of ancient coast-lines. 



Of aU the game fishes of Japan, the little Ayu or Japanese 

 samlet is the most appreciated by visiting anglers, as it is sure 

 to take a dry fly, Now, I have only hearsay for this, but Dr. 

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