228 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF FISHERIES 



fully two-thirds of the length of the trunk from the nape backward, and is, further- 

 more, of very characteristic falcate outline. But more important systematically, 

 if less apparent, is the fact that the adult spearfish has ventral fins which the sword- 

 fish lacks, though they are reduced, it is true, to one long spine each (actually 5 

 fused together) . Furthermore, its second dorsal and anal fins are relatively larger 

 and its pectoral smaller than those of its relative, while there are two small longi- 

 tudinal keels on either side of its caudal peduncle instead of one broad one; its 

 sword is only about half as long, proportionately, as that of the swordfish, much 

 narrower, and round instead of sharp edged; its body is more slender; and its head 

 is relatively shorter. Careful examination would show that the spearfish is not 

 naked but has small scales imbedded in the skin and that there are small teeth in 

 its jaws and on the roof of its mouth. 



The spearfish is deepest abreast the pectorals, about six and one-fourth times 

 as long (not counting the caudal fin) as deep, tapers evenly to the caudal peduncle, 

 and its upper jaw in front of the eye (including the sword) is twice as long as the 

 length of the head behind the eye. In a specimen from Massachusetts, illustrated 

 by Goode (1883, PI. IV), and reproduced herein as Figure 104, the first dorsal fin (35 

 to 39 stiff rays) is separated from the short second (6 soft rays) by a space equal to 

 twice the length of the latter, and the second anal fin is similar to the second dorsal 

 in outline but is situated slightly in front of it. The first anal fin (2 spines and 13 

 rays) is triangular, with rounded tip and slightly falcate rear margin, situated 

 below the rear part of the first dorsal. The ventrals are below the pectorals, and 

 the caudal is even shorter and broader than that of the swordfish and similarly 

 lunate in outline. 



Color. — Described as deep blue above, white below, with intense blue fins, the 

 dorsal spotted with darker blue, and a blue iris. 



Size. — Said to reach a length of 26 feet, but few longer than 7 feet are seen. 



General range. — Warm parts of the Atlantic, north to Cape Cod. 02 



Occurrence in the Gulf of Maine. — This southern fish is included here because 

 one was brought in by the fishing schooner Phoenix from the South Channel some 

 time between 1877 and 1880, this being the most boreal record for it. It is taken 

 from time to time at Woods Hole. 93 



THE POMPANOS. FAMILY CARANGID^ 



The pompanos are allied to the mackerels, like which they have two dorsal 

 fins, the first spiny and the second soft; very deeply forked tails; very slender 

 caudal peduncles; and ventrals thoracic in position — that is, below the pectorals. 

 They are readily separable from the mackerels, however, by the fact that the first 



° ! The south European and American spearflshes are now generally considered identical. 



n The sailfish (Istiophorus nigricans), so common in the warmer parts of the Atlantic, has been taken at Woods Hole on 

 several occasions, but has not yet been recorded from the Gulf of Maine. It is readily recognizable by the fact that the first dorsa 

 fin is much higher than that of the spearfish, while the ventral fins of the sailfish are two or three rayed instead of being reduced 

 to a single spine, as in the spearfish. The two dorsal fins of the sailfish have usually been described as connected even in the 

 adult. This, in fact, is given as the chief distinction between Tetrapturus and Istiophorus by Ooode (Report, U. S. Commis- 

 sioner of Fish and Fisheries, 1880, p. 296), by Jordan and Evermann, and by Boulenger (Cambridge Natural History, Vol. VII, 

 1904, p. 680), but there is actually a considerable gap between the two fins in large specimens, as Bean (The food and game fishes 

 of New York, 1903) remarks in his account of /. nigricans, and as appears on Ooode's own illustrations of a sailfish taken at New- 

 port, and of a skeleton. 



