376 5^55^ Pike, and Perch 



to the edge of the mangroves or other bushes, 

 in the same way as in casting for mascalonge 

 in northern waters. I have never tried casting 

 with a spoon, which might be successful, but a 

 minnow is better by far. The cobia takes the 

 bait with a fierce lunge, and turning quickly 

 endeavors to return to his lair, a proceeding that 

 must be thwarted by the angler at all hazards 

 to his rod or tackle, for once under the arching 

 roots of the mangroves he is as good as gone. 

 The boat must be rowed to open water at once, 

 while a strong strain is maintained by the rod on 

 the fish. With open water the angler can play 

 his fish with leisure, though he will be severely 

 taxed by the struggles of as game a fish as he 

 is likely to meet during a winter's sojourn in 

 Florida. 



THE SPOTTED WEAKFISH 



(jCynoscion nebulosus) 



Cynoscion nebulosus. The Spotted Weakfish. Body rather elongate, 

 compressed; head 3J; depth 4I; scales 10-70-11 ; D. X-I, 26; 

 A. II, 10 ; eye 7 ; snout long and acute ; mouth large, maxillary 

 reaching to posterior edge of eye ; lower pharyngeals narrow, 

 each with 7 or 8 series of short teeth, the inner enlarged ; max- 

 illary, preorbital, and lower jaw nakefl; canines in upper jaw 

 strong ; lower jaw without canines, other teeth in narrow bands, 

 sharp, but closely set ; membrane of preopercle serrate, the bone 

 entire ; pseudobranchiae well developed ; caudal lunate ; soft 

 rays of dorsal and anal scaleless ; gill-rakers short and thick, 

 4 + 7- 



