The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1873-05-17

shaded from a black to beautiful silver
gray. The under part Of the neck resem-
bles yellow satin, and the back part is a
glossy brown velvet
THE HIGHWAY ROBBERS oF THE AIR.
II is amusing to watch an osprey while
he Is fishing An eagle is soaring through
the air FIVE hundred feet above him. The
osprey is sailing over the water, carefully
cycling its surface. Suddenly he steadies
himself against the wind. rolling his wings
as though endeaN oring to back water. Then
he drops through the air like a plummet.
There Is a splash III the waves, and the
osprey rises with iish IN his tAlons.
Meanwhile the eagle is drawing near. As
the osprey ascends in the air the eag lie ut
tiers a threatening cry and swOops upon
HIM Unable to escape, the hawk finally
drops the fish. Before it strikes the water
the eagle darts downward like flash Of
lightning and catches it, while the osprey
flies to the hammock, where his comrades
gather round and sympathize with him.
THE DANCING FISH.
A man-ofwar hawk or frlgate pelican is
peculiar fisherman He descends upon
his prey like a bullet from a height Of
three hundred feet He seizes the fish in
his beak, and scars aloft in the sky. His
mate gathers about him, while the lucky
fisherman tosses his tidbit into the air 50 as
to catch it by the head, and swallow it, As
it comes down His throat is So small that
he can get it in his stomach in no other
way. There is a wild swoop, and another
hawk seizes the fish, and again it is tossed
i'll the air, and tossed up indefinitely until
Z IL L.
it head first, when it disappears. have
seen a dozen frigate pelicans keep fish
dancing III the air fifteen minutes before it
was swallowed
THE PHANTOM DRUMFISH-
Mr. Abbey, Of Abbey Sturdevant a Co,
Fulton street, New York, occasionally Wis
its New Smyn a, and spends few winter
weeks in fishing. His fayorite amusement
is spearing drumiish. One afternoon he
left the wharf in boat with Mr.. Lowd,
the proprietor Of the hotel For an hour
they had fair luck, and then there was a
mll Mr.. Abbey began to grow drowsy
Lowd Was rowing the boat Suddenly an
enormous drum was heard at the bow.
stop, stop" shouted the fisherman,
raising his spear. There's one right here
ahead Of US. Wait until his tail comes
above water
Lowd steadied the boat, and Abbey wait
ed for the fish, but none came III sight
The boat moved on In a few moments a
fierce drumming arose at its stern.
''Stop, stop" cried Abbey, hes behind
rs, again balancing the spear. STEADY
now. Wait until his tail comes above
water
Lowd waited, but no tail appeared, and
there Vas 10 sign of any drumtish. A
third time the boat swept on. Quickly a
vigorous humping was again heard III
front
stop, stop, steady screamed the Full
ton street merchant Here he il, straight
ahead Of us again The spear was bran
dished once more. "Now Just wait until
His tail comes above water
The tail wouldn't come. Mr.. Abbey
stood in eager expectation. but there was
no swell upon the water. The fisherman
began to sweat with anxiety. There was a
drumming On the left and next on the
right Of the boat. Again it was at the Low,
and again under the stern. but no fish was
to be seen, although Mr. Abbey declared
that it must be big one. Finally he re
turned to Smyrna unable to explain the
mystery A few days afterward however,
he learned that Mr.. Lowd was SO good an
imitator Of the noise of drumfish that he
frequently deceived the fish themselves.
FISH CAUGHT IN FLORIDA
Among the fish caught at Smyrna are
sheeps-head, bass or reddish, the red and
black grouper, salt water trout, mullet,
kingfsh, (the natives call it whitlng) sea
bass, pig fish, drumfish, sailors choice or
norgie, sergeant fish, cavallo, snapjack OF
bluefsh. green and black catfish, red and
black snappers, menatee, lady-ish, jew
fish, stingarees sharks, dog fish, porpoIseS,
saw fish, sword fish, ribbon fish, pompa-
neau, different kin Is Of cutie fish, two
kinds Of eels (natives call them congarees),
am electrical founder. similar to an electric
eel, fiukes, skates, big shrimp, whipparees
or clam-crackers, bezonga, toad fish, blow
fish, porcupine fish, eow-hsh, mojarra,
angel-tsh and spade-ish.
The grouper is sort Of salt water
perch, and is highly priced for its flavor
and gameness 1t is generally caught in
deep water.
The saltwater trout is not the Northern
weak-ts 1t resembles a brook trout, but
the dots on it's sides are black, aud not red.
1t bites like a weak fish, and is game to the
backbone.
The pig-fsh is built like a grouper 1t
is a game fish, and derives its name from
the fact that it grunts like a pig when
thrown from the hook to the bottom Of the
boat
The sheepshead are not SO large as North
ern fish of this name.
The sergeant-fish is salt water pike.
1t is a splendid fighter, and is called a
sergeant-fsh because it has three stripes
running across it's body similar to a ser
geant's chevrous. 1t grows as large as a
muscalonge.
The cavallo or " crevalyea' is favorite
game fish. Its head and fins are tipDed
with gold. The former is shaped like the
PROV Of an old FASHIONED Erie Canal boat
The fish is very narrow at the root Of the
tail, which has a golden tinge.
The lady-fsh is delicate and silvery
When struck by the hook they spring from
the water with more energy than a black
bass. Their flavor Is delicious
The jew-fish grows to AN enormous size,
occasionally reaching five hundred pounds
in weight. 1t is Of a greenish color, covered
with irregular dark spots, and IS very game.
Why it is called a jew-ish is one Of those
things that no fellow can find out
The saw-fish becomes very large, and
takes the hook like an old stager A Hat
bone, set with teeth on either edge, juts
its nose, giving the fish its name. 1t is
good eating and game.
The rlbbon-ish has a snout like a pike
1t is a thin fish, strung out like ribbon,
from which it takes its name. 1t is regard
ed as delicscy.
Stingarees are plentiful, and Of an enor-
nous size. Some Of them weigh 250 lbs.
The sting is in their tail. II is bone sew
eral inches in length, bearded in hundred
places like the shank of a hook. The fish
can throw it through a mans boot, or even
through his body. 1t is a dangerous fish,
and has been known to cause death in a
few hours. The natives use the stingaree's $
tail for toothpicks. They declare that it
prevents toothsche.
Tho nompanaoY, Ia tha urida nf Snut harn