144 A NATURAL HISTORY OF THE SEAS 



in gelatinous sheaths whilst still within the parent. The 

 skeletal structure of this saw as washed ashore puzzled 

 the earlier naturalists, and as late as the year 1864 they 

 were described as being the dismembered arms of an 

 unknown species of Starfish. 



The last few decades have seen the related giant Whip 

 Rays promoted to the ranks of big game fishes. They 

 hail from tropic waters and may average some 15 feet 

 across the " wings," the skin of which is often handsomely 

 marked and in some demand for table tops. The Giant 

 Ray, when taken on hook and line, will put up a fight for 

 half a day or more, towing a small boat many miles. 

 On occasion it may ensure a dramatic finish by leaping 

 high into the air and descending with a weight of well 

 over 1,000 lbs. upon the boat and its occupants. 



Most classes of fish can produce giants. Even the 

 Herring tribe boasts of a fish — the Tarpon (Tarpon 

 atlantkus) of Florida — that reaches a length of 7 feet and 

 attains a weight of 200 lbs. It has terrific staying and leap- 

 ing powers that attract the attention and fire the zeal of 

 fishermen the world over. As with many fishes the 

 Tarpon's family life is still largely unknown, but of late 

 years young fish have been found in semi-land locked 

 estuarine waters, one such specimen living for some 

 time in the Zoo's Aquarium in Regent's Park. 

 j& Another giant fish is that super-mackerel known as 

 Tunny {Thynnus)^ which during the last few years has 

 in this country seen a meteoric rise to high esteem both 

 as a game fish and a popular food supply. Tunny weighing 

 1,500 lbs. have been reported, the largest occurring on the 

 farther side of the Atlantic, though whether it is the same 



