258 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



Red Snapper, or Qnow-RnXSerranuserytTiogaster). — Cuvier. 

 This fish seems to be called bv both names in different 

 localities. In east Florida it goes by the name of "snap- 

 per," and is known by the large canine teeth and by its ra- 

 pacious habits; when put with other fish alive in a car it 

 proceeds to devour those smaller than itself. It has large 

 scales, with spines in the dorsal fin, and has been placed by 

 Cuvier among the perches. At Mosquito Inlet they are 

 small — from one to three pounds, but in the Indian River 

 Inlet I have taken them of ten or twelve pounds weight, 

 and I have seen them brought in from the Gulf of double 

 that size. The snapper seems to be a waiy fish, and re- 

 quires finer tackle and more careful fishing than most of 

 the coast species. I have found that a rather small hook, 

 ■fine line, with mullet bait cast from a reel, using a float so 

 as to let the line run off down the current thirty or forty 

 yards from the boat, was the most successful way to de- 

 lude the snapper. It bites sharply, fights hard, and is 

 good eating, either boiled or fried. Color, reddish brown 

 on the back and sides, growing darker after death ; belly sil- 

 very. Holbrook, in his figure of this fish, gives it rows of 

 black spots on the back. 



Black Grouper, (Serranus nigritus). — Holbrook. 

 Commonly known on the Florida coast as the "grouper;" 

 it is a perch also, and is of the very best quality on the 

 table, being rich and well flavored — a better fish than the 

 preceding, in my opiniou. It is shaped something like the 

 black bass of fresh water, the color an olive brown, with 

 dark mottled lines, resembling tortoise shell. At Mosquito 

 Inlet it is taken from two to eight pounds in weight with 

 mullet bait on the bottom. The grouper has a stronghold 

 under the mangrove bushes, or in a hole in the bank, to 

 which it retreats when hooked, and being a vigorous fish 

 often succeeds in reaching its fortress, from which it can 

 with difficulty be dislodged, and the loss of fish and tackle 

 is the result. More hooks are lost by the grouper than by 

 any other fish, but as it affords good sport and excellent 

 food it is a favorite object of the angler's pursuit. A bass 

 rod and reel, with a strong line and Virginia hook, with 

 lead enough to keep the bait on the bottom, is the best rig 

 for the grouper, and, after all, the prospect of getting him 

 is uncertain. He fights so hard that you have to give him 

 line, and if you *give him too much he is sure to escape 

 into his hold. 



Cobia, Crab-eater, or Sargent Fish," {Elacate Atlanti- 

 Wd). — CuviEB. 

 This fish I have never seen except in the Indian River, 

 where it is a common species, lying under the mangrove 

 bushes iu wait for prey like a pike, which it much resem- 

 ble* in form, and in the long under jaw, full of sharp teeth. 

 It derives its trivial name from a black stripe running 

 alono 1 its silvery sides, from head to tail, like that on the 

 trowsers of a sergeant. I found it rather coarse and indif- 

 ferent food, in that also resembling the fresh water pike. 

 Size, from two to three feet long. 



The Pompano, (Bothroltvmxs pampaimsy-^BohBBOOK. 

 Most persons who have been in Mobile or New Orleans 

 have heard of the pompano. Perhaps few have seen or 

 lasted it, though it has the reputation of being the finest 

 fish in the world, and brings in the southern markets three 

 or four times the price of any other fish. It is a rare fish, 

 which may in part account for its high reputation, though 

 having had the good fortune to catch and eat a pompano 

 in Florida I am prepared to admit its claims for merit of 

 the highest order. Holbrook is the only writer who, to my 

 knowledge, gives a scientific description of this fish, and 

 he apparently confounds it with the the cavalli or crevalle, 

 which much resembles it in appearance. In his "Fishes of 

 South Carolina," he heads his description "The Pompano, 

 Bothrolmmus pampanus. ..Synonyms- LicMa Carolina, (De- 

 kav and Storer;) Traehmotus pampamtx, (Cuvier and Val ;) 

 vulgo. cavalli or crevalle; known in New Orleans as pom- 

 pvnose."— Page 11. 



The fish known on the coast of Florida as tne cavalli or 

 crevalle I take to be Qargw ^/>;/w?',(Dekuy) which belongs 

 to the same family as B. pampanus, but is of very different 

 habits and merit, and has important structural distinctions. 

 The pompano has a truncated snout, rather a small mouth 

 without, teeth, jaws strong and massive, eye of moderate 

 size body much compressed and deep, about one-third the 

 length; first dorsal tin represented by six spines; second 

 dorsal soft, and extending to the tail; anal fin extending to 

 the tail also. The pompano is a bottom fish, and is found 

 sinaly My specimen was taken in the Ilillsboro River, 

 near New Smyrna, with clam bait, while fishing on the 

 bottom for sheepshead. It weighed only two and a half 

 nounds but made so furious a resistance that I thought I 

 had a large sheepshead hooked foul. It ran in circles, 

 darted under the boat, fouled our lines, and made fuss 

 enough for a fish of three times its size. As soon as our 

 boatman saw it he shouted, "A pompano! and the first I 

 ever saw caught with a hook in this river!" This man had 

 fished on the coast all his life, and knew every fish in the 

 waters He had been with lis when we caught the cavalli 

 in the Indian River, and named both spScies at once. My 

 specimen was a splendid creature. His.eolors were as bril- 

 liant as those of a freshwater salmon, but instead of bright 

 silver he was like a bar of frosted silver. This changed 

 after, death to dark blue above and lemon yellow beneath. 

 We had him cut in slices and fried, and even under that 

 treatment which I suspect was not the most appropriate, 

 1^ was superb. A combination of richness and delicacy 

 of flavor quite unique-like a New Brunswick salmon and 

 Lake Superior whitefish, which, of all the fishes on this 

 Continent, I hold to be the best. 



This specimen measured eighteen inches long and six in 

 depth. 



The Cavalli, or Crevalle, {Garaux defensor). — Dekay. 

 Belongs to the same family as the last, and much resem- 

 bles it in appearance. The cavalli has a more pointed 

 head and snout, with moderately large conical and pointed 

 teeth. The mouth is larger than in the pompano, the body 

 not as deep in proportion to the length, the eye is larger, 

 it has two dorsal fins, and at the junction of the tail with 

 the body it is smaller than the pompano. In color it is 

 olive green, and silvery above and yellow beneath. I found 

 it quite numerous at the Indian River Inlet. It goes in 

 schools, swims near the surface, and takes readily a troll, 

 either bait or red rag. It is an active, sporting fish, but of 

 indifferent quality on the table, being dry and tasteless, 

 like the dolphin of tropical seas. Those I caught were of 

 about two pounds weight, but I am told that it grows to 

 five times that size. 



It would appear that these two species, from their strong 

 resemblance to each other, are often confounded, and I 

 think it very probable that specimens of the pompano re- 

 ported to have been taken this year in Buzzard's Bay were 

 in reality cavalli, this being a more roving as well as a more 

 numerous species than the pompano. 



Blackfish, or Sea Bass, (Gent/ropistes nigricans). — Cuvier. 

 This seems to be the same species which is known in 

 New York as the sea bass, and at Newport as the blackfish. 

 Like the sheepshead, those in northern waters are much 

 larger than we find them in Florida waters, so that I am in- 

 clined to believe that they breed here and go North in the 

 summer. At Mosquito Inlet they are very abundant, and 

 being voracious feeders can be taken almost at will, and 

 with any bait. Usually under a pound, while off the 

 reefs at Newport I have taken them of six or seven. 

 Sailor's Choice, or Hogfish, (Hemulon fuhomaculatus). — 

 Dekay. 

 Croker, {Micropogon unditlatus). — Cuvier. 

 Black Grunt, {Hemulon arcuatum). — Holbrook. 

 Skip Jack, young of Bluepish, (Temnodon saltator). — Linn. 

 The above are small pan fish, which can be taken in vast 

 numbers in the bays and creeks, but the larger species be- 

 ing numerous few persons seek for these, though they are 

 all nice eating. The full grown bluefish are numerous on 

 some parts of the coast at certain seasons, as I am in- 

 formed, as are also the Spanish mackerel, but I have never 

 met with them. 



Mullet, (Magil lineatus). — Dekay. 

 I think there are several species of the mullet here. 

 They are found everywhere in the bays and sounds in inv 

 mense shoals, and are taken in seines and cast nets in size 

 from half a pound to six pounds. It is a very valuable fish 

 to the inhabitants, since it takes salt better than any other 

 southern species, being equal to the mackerel in that respect. 

 It also furnishes a valuable food in its spawn, which is salt- 

 ed and smoked. It is also used extensively as bait for most 

 other fishes. The mullet appears to subsist upon the mi- 

 nute animals found in the mud, with Avhich substance its 

 stomach and intestines are usually found to be filled. Eaten 

 fresh, the mullet affords a rich and savory food. 

 Salt "Water Catfish, {Galeichthys marinus). — Cuvier. 

 Much resembles the fresh water catfish, but is a hand- 

 somer fish, both m form and color. It has the barbels de- 

 pendant from the mouth, and strong spines in the pectoral 

 and dorsal fins, capable of inflicting painful wounds upon 

 careless hands. As to its value as an edible species, I can- 

 not say; they are numerous, and greedy biters, but j re gen- 

 erally thrown away, or left for the coons and buzzards. 

 Size in the Indian River, ten or twelve pounds. At Mos- 

 quito Inlet, from two to five pounds. 



Sharks and their Congeners. 

 Sharks are very numerous in thes e waters, from six to 

 nine feet long — probably the mackerel shark. Lamina punc- 

 tata — Storer. There is a species here called the nurse shark, 

 Somniosus boeirpinna, De S. , which is sometimes taken with 

 a hook; it is about five or six feet long, and its teeth are 

 very small. 



Other members of this family are the garfish, angel fish, 

 rays, skates, &c. . The garfish, Pristis antiquorum, (Dekay) 

 is shark like in form, with a cruel weapon projecting from 

 its snout one-third the length of its body. This is studded 

 with sharp spines on either side, and is used to kill other 

 fishes. The sawfish has a large mouth, but no teeth in it, 

 so he slashes his saw among a school of mullets, killing 

 half a dozen at a blow, which he then gobbles up at his 

 leisure. He is dreaded by fishermen, who disable him by a 

 blow on the saw. 



The angel fish is a very bad angel indeed, judging from 

 his appearance, which is between a shark and a ray — a hid- 

 eous combination. 



The rays or skates belong also to this class, and they are 

 of large size and numerous on this coast, particularly the 

 sting ray, Trygon hastata (Storer), which is a terror to fish- 

 ermen. In Avading to cast their nets they are in danger of 

 treading on this creature, which lurks in the mud or on the 

 sandy bottom, and when touched strikes with his terrible 

 barbed weapon, making ragged wounds so difficult to heal 

 that they are popularly supposed to be poisoned. These 

 rays are often six feet long, including the tail, and three 

 feet across. They appear to live upon the small molluscs 

 so numerous in these waters. I have seen a ray, when 

 hauled ashore, disgorge a pint or more of these small bi- 

 valves. 



The torpedo ray, or crawfish, is also found on this coast, 

 which animal carries with him an electrical battery of 

 250,000 plates, as described by naturalists, capable of giv- 



ing a very severe shock to the incautions fisherman. 

 Gephaloptera vampirus. — Mitchell^ 



The great ray, vampire of the ocean, or devilfish, is 

 found also in these waters, although it seldom enters the 

 rivers. This is often fifteen feet in length, and the same 

 in breadth, and is strong enough to drag off a small vessel, 

 when it becomes entangled with the cable, as sometimes 

 happens. In Charleston harbor they are pursued in whale 

 boats, and captured with harpoons, affording great sport, 

 In Victor Hugo's romance, the name devil fish, which be- 

 longs to this ray, is wrongly bestowed upon the octopus, or 

 cuttle fish. This great ray, when propelling itself through 

 the water with its immense pectoral fins, which look like 

 the wings of a bat, is a wonderful sight. On its head are 

 two horns, which, with its long tail, complete the resem- 

 blance to his satanic majesty. This is a fish, and the cuttle 

 is not. 



The Fresh Water Fishes of Florida. 



Of these I have less knowledge than of the sea fishes. 

 The species most widely diffused, and also the most val- 

 ued, is the black trout, or bass, {Grystes salmoides). This 

 species is also found in the western lakes and rivers, but in 

 Florida it grows to a larger size; specimens of eight, ten, 

 and twelve pounds being sometimes taken. The native 

 method is with a bob, which is a bunch of gay colored 

 feathers, with two or 'three large hooks concealed in it. 

 This is fastened to a yard or two of strong line, and this to 

 a stout reed pole. The fisherman sits in the bow of a ca- 

 noe, which is paddled by one in the stern, and kept at such 

 a distance from the weedy shore that the bob may be skit- 

 tered along the margin. Out rushes the bass, and cannot 

 well escape being hooked ; he is either hauled in hj main 

 force, or breaks away. Northern fishermen use the spoon, 

 or sometimes cast with a long line and gaudy flies. Once 

 on the Upper St. John, near the Everglades, two of us took 

 with spoons, trolling from the stern of a steamer, twenty 

 or thirty black bass in an hour or two; they were from two 

 to six pounds weight. Parties who go out from Enterprise 

 upon Lake Munroe in small boats often bring in great 

 strings of bass. 



In the lakes and rivers are also found the yellow perch, 



P. flavesceus, (Cuvier); sunfish, Pomotis vulgaris, (Cuvier); 



blue bream, Ichthetis incisor, (Val.); red bellied perch, Ich 



tlietis rubicanda, (Storer) ; goggle-eyed perch, Pomoxis rhom- 



boides, (Linn). S. 0. Clark. 

 «♦♦♦> 



LOONS UNDER WATER. 



Editor Forest and Stream: — 



Some interesting notes in one of the earlier numbers of 

 your welcome journal referred to the rapid flight of the 

 loon under water, and recalled tome an occasion when I 

 was witness to the motion of one of these superb birds. 



A few miles from St. Paul there was, and still 

 may be, a fishing resort on Lake Minnetonka, and 

 many famous strings of pickerel and black bass were 

 caught by the sportsmen who drove out from St. Paul. 

 ' Going there with a friend, we concluded, after fishing in 

 the main lake, to try new ground; so a boat was placed 

 upon a wagon, and with it we went to a small pond lying 

 apart from the ordinary line of travel, and after a contest 

 that was not far from an appeal to force with a settler who 

 falsely claimed exclusive ownership of the lake, we were 

 lauched upon it, with an oarsman to row for our trolling. 

 It was, beyond doubt, the first time the fascinations of the 

 modern mechanical baits, spoons, and glittering bits of 

 spinning metal were displayed before the gaze of the myriad 

 fish, and with. eager credulity they took them as willingly 

 as our eastern capitalists at that time took ten per cent, 

 western bonds, and they were taken in as fatally. Great 

 rushing, rustic fellows, they did not wait for half a line to 

 run out, but were as dazed by the shining temptations as 

 squaws are by a little finery, and followed them as readily. 



Passing a small bay that opened beyond a narrow inlet, 

 we saw a female loon with a little one hiding behind her, 

 and our curiosity to see more of the little family induced 

 us to reel in our lines and paddle toward them. As we 

 slowly approached them, the anxiety of the mother was 

 really touching. She swam alertly about, seeking in vain 

 to hasten the little one toward the concealment of some 

 friendly sedges, and coaxed and pushed it by turn, becom- 

 ing each moment more alarmed. As the distance between 

 us lessened, she became the victim of fear for herself, and 

 as equally solicitous for her fondling, expressing it by 

 diving hurriedly and coaling up, rising half upon wing and 

 dropping again, and with every air of intense maternal 

 anxiety. We continued nearing them, until it was evident 

 that the little convoy would not gain the reeds before us, 

 when, with a desperate plunge, the old bird went under, 

 and in a moment went by our boat, seeking the open pond 

 by the narrow and shallow outlet we were in. The depth 

 was not sufficient to conceal her, and for a few rods her 

 rapid course was plainly discernible. Her form was as 

 straight as possible, making her as sharp as a cigar steamer, 

 and her feet did not seem to be used unless for steering. 

 Her motion, as rapid almost as the eye could follow, was 

 derived from her wings, and probably from both the up- 

 ward and downward stroke, like sculling. They were pow- 

 erful, indeed, inspired by fear, and in a moment the dark 

 form was gone like a shadow, seen only long enough to im- 

 press us with wonder and surprise at this use of wings 

 under water, and at the result. 



The little loony remained like a ball of grey down, re- 

 posing lightly on the water, and was not at all impressed 

 with instinctive or imitative fear of us. It swam rather to 

 the boat, and was not unwilling to be closely admired; in 

 fact, it so freely accepted our complimentary criticism that 



