Il6 GIANT FISHES 



the Mediterranean, which occasionally approaches the southern 

 coasts of the British Isles ; and the Groper or Hapuku (P. 

 oxygeneios), from Tasmania, New Zealand, and the islands of 

 Juan Fernandez. 



The large Stone Bass live at the bottom where the ground is 

 rocky, in water of a depth of 300 or 400 fathoms, and appear 

 to be more or less solitary in their habits. The young fish, 

 up to 20 lb., however, live in the upper layers of the sea, and 

 from their habit of following ships and floating wreckage in 

 shoals, perhaps to feed on the barnacles, they have received 

 the name of " Wreck-fish ". The normal food of full-grown 

 specimens appears to consist mainly of other fishes, but 

 shellfish and crustaceans are also eaten. 



Practically nothing is known of the breeding habits of these 

 fishes, but in the Mediterranean spawning takes place during 

 the summer. In the case of the Hapuku the breeding season 

 is in July and August. 



The flesh is reputed to be good for food, being white and 

 tender, although without any special flavour. In Madeira the 

 big fish are caught by means of long lines, each weighted with 

 a large stone and baited with mackerel or scad. Mr. Lowe 

 tells us how on being pulled up from the depths, " the fish 

 become so distended with gas, expanding upon the removal 

 of the vast pressure below, that it rises to the surface, not indeed 

 entirely dead, but wholly powerless, and in a sort of rigid 

 cataleptic spasm ; the stomach is usually inverted, and 

 protruded into the mouth ; and the eyes in general are forced 

 so completely from their sockets, sticking out often like two 

 horns, that ' eyes like a Cherne ' is a common phrase among 

 the fishermen for a prominent-eyed person ". Sometimes the 

 distended fish is so light that as it comes to the surface it 

 rises faster than the line can be pulled in and shoots right out 

 of the water ! 



The Stone Bass is known in the south of France as " Cernia " 

 or " Cernier ", and the Madeiran names of " Sherny " or 

 " Shern " represent other forms of the same names. The 

 natives of Madeira call the young fish " Chernotta ", and, 

 according to Mr. Lowe, the adults are known to English 

 visitors as " Jewfish ". In South Africa the Stone Bass is 

 sometimes called " Bafaro ". The scientific name, Polyprion, 



