310 CRUISE OF THE BARRERA 



caught about the reefs it is not a reef fish in the 

 sense applied to the many brilliant fish mentioned 

 as living about the corals. The yellow-tail is free 

 swimming. In Havana one constantly sees upon 

 the bill of fare the word "pargo" offered in many 

 varieties of preparation by the clever Cuban cooks. 

 This excellent fish (Neom<znis analis) is taken in all 

 the harbors along the coast and ranks about third 

 in commercial importance. It is the "mutton-fish 

 of Florida." The little "cabrillo" with enormous 

 head and spindling body is less often served but is 

 a most delicious fish when prepared in true Cuban 

 style. It ranks about fourth in importance. The 

 various groupers are also used as food, especially 

 the Epinephelus morio, or red grouper, but they 

 are less esteemed. These large reef fishes some- 

 times take on a poisonous quality, but the fisher- 

 men insist upon their ability to distinguish between 

 the good and bad and there are very few "acci- 

 dents." Strangely enough the Cubans will not 

 touch flounders. There are several species in the 

 shallow waters of the coast and all probably ex- 

 cellent, but owing to some prejudice the fish so 

 highly prized in all other countries is altogether 

 taboo. We selected from the nets examples of 



