320 NATURAL HISTORY OP AQUATIC ANIMALS. 



THE LITTLE TUNNIES. In addition to the Striped Bonito, which is, properly, a Tunny, there 

 are two other small Tunnies the Long-fiuned Tunny, Orcynm alalonga, and the Silver-spotted 

 Tunny, Orcynus argentimttatus which have since 1877 been added to the fauna of the United 

 States. 



The former of these two occurs in considerable abundance on the coast of California, and is 

 there also known as the Albicore. Concerning it Professor Jordan writes: "This fish reaches 

 a weight of about twelve pounds, and is much shorter and deeper than the Bonito of the Pacific. 

 It is found from San Francisco southward, but is abundant only in the channels about the Santa 

 Barbara Islands. It seldom comes within six miles of the shore, and it is taken by trolling. It 

 spawns about the middle of August, its arrival on the coast being determined by the spawning 

 season. It usually is present in June and July and disappears in the fall. It feeds chiefly on 

 anchovies and squid, and various deep-water fishes (Merlitcius, tiudis, Myctophum) are found in 

 its stomach. As a food-fish it is even less valued than the Bonito, rarely selling for more than 

 twenty to twenty-five cents. It is abundant, but of little economic importance, being usually 

 fished for by sportsmen." 



100. THE HORSE MACKEREL, TUNNY, OR ALBICORE. 



The most important of the Tunnies is the so-called Horse Mackerel, or Albicore, Orcynus 

 thynnus, the "Ton" or "Tuna" of the Mediterranean, and the "Tunny" of English-speaking people. 



The distribution of this fish corresponds more closely with that of the ordinary species of the 

 Atlantic, since it occurs not only in the Mediterranean and the Western Atlantic north to the Gulf 

 of Saint Lawrence, but also on the coast of Europe to the Loflbden Islands, latitude 69. 



The following account of this species is for the most part from the notes of Professor Baird: 



Of this fish, as found in American waters, our naturalists have not much to say, the species, 

 although abundant at certain seasons of the year off' particular parts of the coast, being not a 

 very familiar one to our writers. They seem to be rather a northern fish, and are said by Storer 

 to make their first appearance on our shores about Proviucetown early in June, remaining until 

 October. Of late years they seem to be increasing in abundance northward, becoming more and 

 more common during the summer season at Newfoundland. 



In 1878, Capt. Henry Webb, of Milk Island, near Gloucester, harpooned and killed thirty of 

 these monsters, weighing in the aggregate at least thirty thousand pounds. They had entered his 

 pound in pursuit of small fish, cutting without difficulty through the netting. One had his 

 stomach full of small mackerel. 



According to Captain Atwood, on their first appearance in Massachusetts Bay they are very 

 poor, but by the beginning of September become quite fat and are very much hunted for the oil, 

 the head and belly especially furnishing sometimes as many as twenty gallons. They are har- 

 pooned on the surface of the water, much like the Sword-fish. 



The early traditions of this fish in Massachusetts Bay speak of them as being sometimes so 

 tame as to take food from the hand; but they have long since given up this engaging habit. 

 Their flesh is not esteemed in the United States, being rarely, if ever, eaten, although much used 

 for mackerel bait. It is, however, more in favor in the Provinces. This species attains a very 

 great size. One specimen, taken in 1838 off Cape Ann, measured, according to Dr. Storer, fifteen 

 feet in length, and weighed one thousand pounds, while still larger individuals than this are on 

 record. 



Their food while in our waters consists, it is said, mainly of menhaden, of which they destroy 

 a vast number. Their inclosure in the fishermen's nets is not much desired, as they are apt to 



