. The American natural history; a foundation of useful knowledge of the higher animals of North America. Natural history. THE SEA-BASS OF Si\.NTA CATALINA 385 THE SEA-BASS FAMILY. Ser-ran'i-dae. In the ocean and its dependencies there exists a Family which, in general form, and anatomy also, so closely resembles the fresh-water Bass Family that it is almost impossible to base dis- tinctive characters upon skeletal differences. The Sea-Bass Family, of North American waters, con- tains 104 species, some of which are of colossal size. Whenever you go a-fishing in tropical or subtropical waters, a
. The American natural history; a foundation of useful knowledge of the higher animals of North America. Natural history. THE SEA-BASS OF Si\.NTA CATALINA 385 THE SEA-BASS FAMILY. Ser-ran'i-dae. In the ocean and its dependencies there exists a Family which, in general form, and anatomy also, so closely resembles the fresh-water Bass Family that it is almost impossible to base dis- tinctive characters upon skeletal differences. The Sea-Bass Family, of North American waters, con- tains 104 species, some of which are of colossal size. Whenever you go a-fishing in tropical or subtropical waters, and catch a large, thick- bodied, big-scaled fish that you cannot name, it is generally a safe hazard to call it a Sea- The great Jewflsh, or Black Sea-Bass,' of Santa Catalina anglers, is one of the largest of the spiny-finned fishes. During the last ten years it has become celebrated because it per- mits itself to be outwitted so easily by the ama- teur angler. A very large fish can be caught with rod and line that seem absurdly light for such work. What must we think of the courage of a 300- pound fish which will permit itself to be caught and gaffed on a line which will break under a strain of .50 pounds dead weight? With heavy tackle, the catching of a large Jewfish would be no more of an event than would the pulling in of a Greenland haUbut; but to go with one companion miles out from shore in a boat weighing from 125 to 150 pounds, catch a 300-pound fish on a sixteen-ounce rod, and kill it, without even getting upset, is a feat worth Tv^hile. If a large Sea-Bass possessed the cour- age and fighting qualities, pound for pound, of the fresh-water black bass, it would take a hawser and a donkey engine to handle the fine, a tug- boat to withstand the shock, and a bomb-lance to kill the fish when alongside. In the Tuna Club of Santa Catalina (southern California), the holders of cups and records for the capture of Sea-Bass during the past five seasons were as follows: H. T. Ke
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