THE HERRING AND ITS ALLIES. 
407 
a name also applied by the fishermen of South Florida to a species of 
percoid which has already been discussed. It is the “Silver-fish” of 
Pensacola, the “ Grande-Ecaille ” (Large-scale fish), or “ Grandykye,” 
as it is pronounced and sometimes spelled, and the “ Savanilla ” of Texas. 
The species can hardly be said to be common on our Atlantic coasts, 
though from fifty to one hundred specimens are doubtless taken every 
year between Florida and Cape Cod. In 1874 and 1875 none were 
caught in the St. John’s River, though several had been brought in during 
the previous winter. In the Indian River region these fish are sometimes 
harpooned. 
Mr. Stearns contributes the following notes upon the fish, as observed 
by him : 
“ The Silver fish, or Grande Ecaille, is common everywhere on the 
Gulf coast. It is an immense and active fish, preying eagerly upon schools 
of young fry, or any small fish that it is able to receive into its mouth, and 
in pursuit of which it ascends fresh-water rivers quite a long distance. 
During September, 1879, I saw large numbers of Silver-fish eight or ten 
miles up the Apalachicola River, and am told that that was not an unusual 
occurrence. They go up the Homosassa River in Florida, and several of 
the Texas rivers, so I have subsequently learned. The Tarpum will take 
a baited hook, but it is difficult to handle and seldom landed. The Pensa¬ 
cola seine fishermen dread it while dragging their seines, for they have 
known of persons having been killed or severely injured by its leaping 
against them from the seine in which it was inclosed. Even when it does 
not jump over the cork-line of a seine, it is quite likely to break through 
the netting before landed. I have secured several specimens, the smallest 
of which weighed thirty pounds and the largest about seventy-five 
pounds. The Tarpum is said to be palatable and well flavored.” 
Dr. C. J. Kenworthy, of Jacksonville, Fla., known in the literature of 
American angling as “Al. Fresco,” is the great apostle of Tarpum, and 
by his enthusiastic advocacy has won it a place among game fishes. 
The “Big-eyed Herring” or “Ten-pounder,” Elops saurus , was 
described by Linnaeus from a Carolina specimen synt to him by Garden. 
It occurs all along the coast from Martha’s Vineyard southward, but only 
in the summer in the northern part of its range. It is cosmopolitan in 
its distribution, occurring throughout the West Indies, on the coast of 
South America, on both coasts of Mexico, at the Cape of Good Hope, in 
East Africa, Arabia and China. At Fort Macon it is known as the 
“ Horse Mackerel.” It is rarely or never eaten in the United States, its 
flesh being said to be dry and bony. 
