A SPORTSMAN'S CATCH. 



73 



amber jack {Seriola dumerili) and amber fish " (Seriola 

 lalandi). The last is a beautifully shaped fish with a 

 lovely golden or amber-coloured gloss over its iridescent 

 scales. It is met with fairly close in to the shore, and 

 runs to weights of anything up to a hundred pounds, 

 and a length of between four-and-a-half to five-and-a-half 

 feet. Both these fish belong to the large group of " yellow 

 tails." They are both very game, but the amber " fish " 

 is much the handsomer of the two, and is considered by 

 the islanders to be quite one of their most desirable produc- 

 tions, both from a sporting and a culinary point of view. 



During our stay Sir Frederic Johnstone caught two of 

 these prizes, weighing respectively twenty-six and thirty- 

 two pounds. 



All the above fish are caught by trailing a spinning 

 bait (the side of any silvery-looking fish is a suitable one) 

 rather near the surface, while the boat you are in is rowed 

 at a moderate pace by your " guide." In our case the 

 boats had all been specially built for Sir Frederic for 

 tarpon -fishing by an Isle of Wight firm, and the guides " 

 took the form of sailors from the yacht. 



There are fish, however, which habitually live nearer 

 the bottom than the surface-frequenting examples which 

 we have so far mentioned. Such were grouper {Epine- 

 pheiiLS morio) and snappers (Lutiana). The former live 

 right do^Ti among the rocks and are more acceptable 

 for the pot than for the sport they give. As far as my 

 recollection goes we did not get many snapper, but one 

 day in fairly deep water Lady Wilton got hold of a monster. 

 Kellaway, her sailor fisherman, had spotted this giant 

 through the fish-glass. It was swimming slowly round 

 and round a large rock at the bottom. 



Quivering in each nerve and fibre. 

 Clashing all his plates of armour, 

 Gleaming bright with all his war-paint," 



and seemed, to his notions, from its enormous proportions, 

 to be the father of all fish. 



