Fish Watching

Who hasn't stopped along the banks of a stream to look for fish? Anyone who wants to enjoy fish in their own world will want this lavishly illustrated guide to a new kind of nature study. An expert whose passionate interest in fish is contagious, C. Lavett Smith is promoting a whole new outdoor pastime - fish watching. Designed to be used outside, the book opens with tips on where, when, and how to find and watch fishes in their natural habitats. Smith starts with hints for the beginner, and comments on equipment and ways of taking notes. He describes the major types of running and still waters, along with the kinds of fishes to be found in each. Nearly 200 drawings and photographs, thirty-six in color, illustrate the habitats and the fishes a watcher may see, and there are general accounts of the major groups of fishes found in the fresh waters of the United States and Canada. The central theme of the book is natural history: habitat selection, food and feeding habits, defense adaptations, and reproductive mechanisms. Smith describes habitats ranging from tiny headwater creeks to large rivers and estuaries. Food habits include straining plankton, cropping small insects, and feeding on other animals. He points out the reproductive specializations that watchers may often see - the development of special, sometimes brilliant breeding colors, the construction of nests, courtship rituals, and in a few cases parental care of the young. Vignettes describing Smith's adventures in the field add a special flavor to a charming book that will appeal to readers of all ages - including those who fish.