THE BLACK GROUPER. 
THE GROUPERS AND THE JEW FISH. 
Hugest of all are fish in sea 
For they were formed by heaven’s great King 
Before all other earthly thing. 
The Voyage of St. Brandon (Mediaeval) 
* I *HE various species of Grouper are already of importance, and will be 
still more highly appreciated by the anglers of future generations. 
They are members of the genus Epinephelus , and other closely related 
genera. The Red Grouper, Epinephelus morio , is a large species, some¬ 
times attaining the weight of forty or fifty pounds. There is no certain 
record of its having been captured north of Florida, where it is called the 
“Brown Snapper” or “Red-bellied Snapper.” DeKay, writing in 1842, 
stated that it was not unusual in the New York market in June and July, 
where it was called by the fishermen ‘ Groper/ or ‘ Red Groper’; that it 
is a Southern species and is brought from the reefs of Florida, but that he 
had been informed by West Indian fishermen that it is occasionally, but 
rarely, taken off the coast of New York ; he added that Dr. Holbrook in¬ 
formed him that it was brought into the Charleston markets from Florida 
in the months of January, February, and March. 
Holbrook wrote : “ The Grouper is so seldom seen on our coast that 
nothing can at this time be said of its habits ; but in confinement, as it is 
brought to us from Key West, it appears very voracious and bold, taking 
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