JAPAIir, CHIWA AND THE PHILIPPINES 



Jordan tells us that he ranks it second among the food fishes of 

 the northern hemisphere, giving the little candle-fish, Eulachon,. 

 first place ; a valuable Uttle fish, so full of fat that you may stand 

 it on its tail and light it as you would a candle, then blow it out 

 and eat it. 



A fine trout of Japan is the Yamabe (Salmo perryi). The 

 Japanese do not waste time with a two-ounce rod to take the 

 Ayu, but go after them with a pack of trained cormorants as 

 previously described. The Tamagowa is said to be a fine stream 

 for fly fishing, but is devoted to the cormorant, that swallows 

 the little Ayu and is forced to disgorge by its master, who sees- 

 nothing out of the way in the process. 



In Tokyo Bay you may see men and boys angling with bam- 

 boo for Tai, the redfish of Ebisu, one of the best of the fishes of 

 the people. The Kuromutsu is also a hard fighter about Msaki^ 

 and the ocean abounds in several Tunas and Cavallys that carry 

 destruction to the lines of the men or the nets of the fishers after 

 the gigantic spider-crab. 



The bass tribe is represented by several large and fine game 

 fishes, notable among which is Susuki, Lateolabrax Japonicus^ 

 It resembles, tastes and fights Uke the Morida Eobalo. Then 

 there is the Ara, a big fighter of the bass clan. This is the Niphori^ 

 spinosus of science. The Japanese have their jewfish or black 

 sea-bass in the Ishinagi {Megaperca), better known as the stone 

 bass. Another big bass is Abura bodzu or fat priest (Ehisu» 

 sagamius). A friendly angler told me that he had fished for 

 several of these fishes and found them hard and lusty fighters. 

 There are several large grouper-hke fishes — the red grouper 

 (Epinephelus), and one of the most beautiful of the family. The 

 black-banded grouper. Other quaint Japanese game are known 

 as Tengudai, Matodai, and Odawara, the latter a fine fish and 

 thoroughly game. 



A fine handsome fish taken after the fashion of the American 

 bluefish is Aphareus. The Japanese porgy, Tai or Akadai, pre- 

 viously referred to, is of national importance with the chry- 



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