THE FILE FISHES, PIPE FISHES, A\l> ANCLHKS. 169 



H. THE FILE FISHES, PIPE FISHES, AND ANGLERS. 



NOTE. In preparing the Ibllowiiig chapters upon the food-fishes of the United States, the. 

 authors have avoided nil technical discussions, all descriptions of form, all digressions of the kind 

 in which naturalists, even when writing for the general reading public;, are so prone to indulge. 

 We. anticipate the criticism that the book is of no use in identifying the different kinds of lish, by 

 the statement that we expressly desire that it shall not be. We have tried to present in concise 

 form the information suited to the needs of the fisherman, the fish purchaser, the statistician, and 

 the general reader. Most of our important species can be identified by reference to the, plates. 

 If greater accuracy of identification be needed, the inquirer is advised to consult Jordan's Synopsis 

 of the Fishes of North America, which forms Bulletin No. 16 of the United States National M useiim 

 series. 



46. THE OCEAN SUN FISHES ORTHAGORISCIDJE. 



The family Ortlmgorixvifliv is represented in the. Western Atlantic by two species. 



The common Sun Fish, Orfhagoriscus mola, with its compressed, disk-shaped body and its 

 elongated dorsal and anal fins, is one of the most grotesque of sea animals. This species is found 

 in all parts of the world in temperate and tropical seas, and has been recorded from the coasts of 

 Japan and California. It occurs also in the Mediterranean and on both sides of the Atlantic. 

 On our own eastern coast it may be observed every summer, from the Banks of Newfoundland to 

 Florida. It has not been seen in the Gulf of Mexico, but there is one instance of its capture at 

 the Bermudas. It rarely frequents the New England coast except in summer. In the winter of 

 1874 '75 two large specimens were taken at the month of the Saint John's River, Florida. 



Sun Fishes attain a length of seven or eight feet and a weight of seven or eight hundred 

 pounds. They may be seen along our coast on almost any calm summer's day. As many as ten 

 or twelve are often met with in the course of a day's cruise. They float lazily, with one of the 

 bright sides of the body just at the surface. As they float, the waves ripple and break over them, 

 and the heavy pectoral fins move slowly to and fro through the air; thus lying, they are very 

 conspicuous objects, and may be seen at long distances. They spend whole days in this position, 

 and may very easily be approached and harpooned. From this habit of sunning themselves they 

 have gained the name of Sun Fishes. 



Their food consists of the jelly-fish, or sun-squalls, which are so abundant along the New 

 England coast in summer. Their jaws, however, are strong, and it would seem probable that they 

 sometimes seek more substantial food. 



Nothing whatever is known of the place or time of their breeding : the young are occasionally 

 taken in mid-ocean. 



Many individuals are harpooned by our fishermen every summer. They are not applied to any 

 practical use, but are brought to the cities and exhibited as curiosities. The fishermen of Cape Cod 

 sometimes make oil from the livers. This oil is prized highly as a remedy for sprains and bruises. 



In the "Transactions of the Royal Society of London," 1740, was published a communication 

 "Concerning the Mola tiaht, or Sun Fish, and Glue Made from It," contributed by the Rev. William 

 Barlow, in which mention is made of the capture of a specimen near Newfoundland. I am not 

 aware that the suggestions of this author have ever been further carried out. 



As a food-fish the Sun Fish is probably the most worthless species in our waters. The flesh is 

 thin and hard, and, when cooked, separates into oil and bunches of tough fibers. 



On the California coast, according to Jordan, this species is very abundant, especially in the 



