Percomorphi 271 



"It is the universal testimony of our fishermen that two 

 are never seen swimming close together. Capt. Ashby says 

 that they are always distant from each other at least thirty 

 or forty feet. 



"The pugnacity of the swordfish has become a byword. 

 Without any special effort on my part numerous instances of 

 their attacks upon vessels have in the last ten years found their 

 way into the pigeon-hole labeled 'Swordfish." 



Swordfishes are common on both shores of the Atlantic 

 wherever mackerel run. They do not breed on our shores, 

 but probably do so in the Mediterranean and other warm seas. 

 They are rare off the California coast, but five records existing 

 (Anacapa, Santa Barbara, Santa Catalina, San Diego, off Cerros 

 Island). The writer has seen two large individuals in the 

 market of Yokohama, but it is scarcely known in Japan. As 

 a food-fish, the swordfish is one of the best, its dark-colored 

 oily flesh, though a little coarse, making most excellent steaks. 

 Its average weight on our coast is about 300 pounds, the 

 maximum 625. 



The swordfish undergoes great change in the process of de- 

 velopment, the very young having the head armed with rough 

 spines and in nowise resembling the adult. 



Fossil swordfishes are unknown, or perhaps cannot be dis- 

 tinguished from remains of Istiophorida. 



