FISHES OF THE GULF OF MAINE 215 



even thousands of miles away) and visit our waters on a feeding migration to 

 fatten after the strain of reproduction, as is probably true of the swordfish (p. 225), 

 or whether they actually spawn in our waters or near by, ripe fish having been over- 

 looked there. In fact, nothing definite is known of the breeding of the tuna. In 

 European waters it is supposed to spawn in summer. Presumably its eggs are 

 pelagic, though never actually described, nor have its young fry been identified. 



Growth is probably very rapid, for young of the year are said to weigh 30 

 ounces in October in European waters. However, no attempt has been made to 

 determine the age of the large fish. 



Commercial importance. — The tuna is highly prized as a food fish in the 

 Mediterranean and in California. On the Atlantic coast, however, they have only 

 recently been salable, and they were formerly regarded only as a nuisance, for 

 bands of them make trouble for fishermen by following mackerel or herring into 

 the weirs and pounds to tear their way out again right through the nets unless 

 harpooned. It is recorded that 30 very large ones were killed in a day in one net 

 near Gloucester. Many years ago, when fish oil was more valuable than now, a 

 few were sometimes harpooned for oil, which was tried out of the heads and bellies, 

 but there was no demand for the meat. Within the last few years, however, it has 

 proved worth while to bring in the few accidentally caught rather than to leave 

 them to rot. The Gulf has yet to see any organized tuna fishery, however, nor is 

 it likely that this fish is there in sufficient abundance to support one. 



The sporting possibilities of the tuna deserve a word, for anglers, spurred 

 on by the wonderful tuna fishing on the southern coast of California, have attacked 

 this huge fish with light tackle at various points in New England and Nova Scotia, 

 and with considerable success, for the tuna bites freely on trolled bait of herring 

 or other silvery fish. I have even known a Massachusetts Bay tuna to take a 

 cod hook, going away with line and all, though it is unusual for them to bite a 

 "dead" bait. Some of the smaller fish up to 125 pounds or so have been landed, 

 particularly off Block Island and in the bays along the southeastern coast of Nova 

 Scotia. A Dr. L. D. Mitchill landed one 10 feet 4 inches long and weighing 710 

 pounds at Port Medway, Nova Scotia, 77 but no one, we believe, has yet succeeded 

 in subduing a really large tuna on rod and reel. 



78. Common bonito (Sarda sarda Bloch) 



Bonito; Skipjack; Horse mackerel 



Jordan and Everraann, 1896-1900, p. 872. 



Description. — This bonito is shaped much like a small tuna, being thick and 

 stout bodied, about one-fourth as deep as long (not counting caudal fin), and 

 similarly tapering to pointed snout and slender caudal peduncle. It is tunalike, 

 also, in that its body is scaled all over, its caudal peduncle bears median lateral 

 keels, and its dorsal fins are so close together as to be practically confluent, but 

 the shape of its fins distinguishes it at a glance from a small tuna, the only Gulf 



77 This record capture has been mentioned repeatedly in the sportsmen's journals, "Field and Stream" and "Forest and 

 Stream." 



