20 THfa OASIB FISH OF NORTH AMERICA 



and butchers' meat can always be had, both fat and tender, no person 

 of ordinary taste or judgment in the art of eating, would allow to 

 come upon his table. 



These few observations I promise in this place, because I foresee 

 distinctly, that my remarks will be animadverted upon, more or less 

 severely, by the inhabitants of those districts in which the varieties of 

 fish which I regard as almost worthless prevail ; the same thing having 

 occurred with regard to my work on Field Sports, concerning which 

 gentlemen have waxed unwisely indignant as regards this or that bird, 

 or this or that mode of cooking it, when they have plainly lacked the 

 means of drawing the requisite comparison. 



But to proceed : the Game Fish of this country may be divided, 

 first, into two general classes of fresh and salt-water fishes ; and these 

 may be again sub-divided, each, into other two, the fresh as migratory 

 and non-migratory ; the salt, as into deep-sea and shoal-water ; 

 although, perhaps, to speak with perfect precision on the subject, no 

 deep-sea fish should be called a Game Fish. Very many persons are, 

 however, greatly addicted to the sport of making excursions from our 

 larger cities to the various sea-banks, for the purpose, it is true, of 

 enjoying the sea breeze and the excitement of the sail, combined with 

 the attractions of the chowder,- or the clam-bake, the champagne and 

 the cotillion, which are wont to complete, the day's amusement, but 

 still with the object of fishing likewise ; and these persons, even if 

 their sport be not of the loftiest or most sporting character, will rea- 

 tonably expect to find some account of a favorite pursuit. 



Nor, in very truth — though I eschew large congregations of huma- 

 nity for sporting purposes, deeming thom rather social and convivial 

 in their true character, and holding sociality and conviviality, though 

 excellent things in their way, as utterly averse to the spirit of sports- 

 manship — have I not found it good sport, at times, to sally out from 

 eome sequestered fishing hamlet, in the trim schooner or more humble 

 yawl, and try my fortune with the Cod, the Haddock, and the Halibut ; 

 or if, perchance, on the rocky shores of Eastern New England, with 

 the delicate and lively Whiting, too little known, as yet, to the epi- 

 cures of America, although unsurpassed in excellence by few, if any, 

 of his race. . With deep-sea fishing I shall deal, therefore, although 

 briefly, as becomes its rank in proportion with the more exciting and 



