CHAPTER  XIX.

FUR,   FIN,   AND   FEATHER.

Opportunities for the sportsman are wonderfully abun¬
dant in all sections of Florida—the variety of game and
fish being undoubtedly greater than in any other region of
equal size in the world.

In all parts of the State are large clear-water springs,
ponds, lakes, bayous, and rivers. These fresh-water bodies
are literally alive with fish, principally black bass, pike,
grunts, sheep's-head, all varieties of perch, bream, etc.
Along the entire salt - water coast, with all the harbors,
bays, sounds, and inlets, the fishing is simply superb, in¬
cluding mackerel, mullet, salt-water trout, sea-bass, whiting,
red snapper, pompano, cavalli—in fact, the variety is innu¬
merable. Wherever you find water in all Florida, fresh or
salt, you will find inexhaustible opportunity for the exer¬
cise of the angler's art.

All along the coasts, too, especially the lower Atlantic
and Gulf coasts, green turtles are very plentiful. Some of
them are monsters in size, and turtle-hunting (also hunting
for their eggs) is very attractive sport. Often one hun¬
dred and fifty to three hundred eggs are found in a nest ;
they are delicious eating, like the turtle itself, which is so
greatly relished by the epicure everywhere. Oysters in
countless millions line the shores, and are everywhere
cheap and excellent.

They speak of trout-fishing here, but it is a mistake.
The trout, the dainty, golden, speckled trout of Northern