THE BARRACUDA. 



BY CARL. H. EIGENMANN. 



The barracuda (SphyrcEua argcntea) is one of the most import- 

 ant of Cahfornian food fishes. It is a long, slender, spindle-shaped, 

 sharp-snouted fish, evidently well calculated to swim rapidly. In 

 summer it is abundant on the whole coast of California from San 



r 



Francisco southward, but it is probably more abundant southward 

 than in the neighborhood of San Francisco. During the winter it 

 disappears from the coast of California, but is taken on the coast of 

 Lower California. It probably migrates bodily southward, but 

 stray individuals undoubtedly remain in the waters of southern Cal- 

 ifornia throughout the year, for two or three days of exceptionally 

 fine weather invariably brings them into the market. It is likely 

 that these stray individuals live in deep water during the winter, and 

 come to the surface on bright days. It is quite possible, though 

 not probable, that a great part of those disappearing descend to 

 deeper water. The fact that they are taken only by the troll or by 

 gill nets sufficiently explains why they should not be caught in deep 



water. 



Their movements have been watched through an entire season at 

 San Diego, and as these observations may be valuable to serve as a 

 basis for comparison, they may be stated here. 



J 



During February, i8go, 



four were taken on the 7th, one on the nth, and two on the 28th. 

 All these dates were at the end of a succession of days of excep- 

 tionally fine weather. On March i, 1890, two were taken. On 

 March 26, 1889, a few were caught, and on the following day 



abundant and remained so, with occasional lapses. 



th 



ey were 



July 



throughout the summer. At the begmnmg ol 



ripe spawn. 



During September few were taken, but on the 29th, 30th and 31st 

 of October they were again abundant. On November 6th one was 

 taken, on the 7th another, on the 15th one young one was caught 

 with a hook in the bay, and on the iSth another young one was 

 brought from off Point Loma. On the i6th of December, one young 

 individual, evidently of the preceding summer's spawning, was taken 

 in the bay, and on the 30th a large one was caught off Pomt Loma, 



The adult never or very rarely enter the bay, but m spnng the 



