PERCH-LIKE FISHES 119 



Practically nothing is known of the breeding habits of 

 the Jew-fishes. 



As food-fishes they are of rather minor importance, although 

 both species are sold as food. It is as a sporting fish that the 

 California Jew-fish is best known, being one of the prizes at 

 the famous angling resort of Santa Catalina. It can be taken 

 all the year round, and is fished for with live bait. Professor 

 Holder tells us that it is " fished for on the edge of the kelp 

 in 30 or 40 feet of water. The strike comes as a nibble, but 

 when hooked the fish is away with a rush that has been known 

 to demoralize experienced anglers. ... I have seen a 

 200-pound fish snap the largest shark-line like a thread, and 

 large specimens straighten out an iron shark-hook ; yet the 

 skilled wielders of the rod catch these giants of the tribe with 

 a line that is not larger than some eye-glass cords ". The 

 record California Jew-fish caught, on rod and line was taken 

 at Santa Catalina in 1916 and weighed 515 lb. 



The California Jew-fish is commonly referred to as " Black 

 Sea Bass ", and is also known as " Giant Bass ". The Japanese 

 call their species " Ishinagi " or " Oiwo ", names meaning 

 " rock bass " and " huge-fish " respectively. Concerning the 

 name " Jew-fish ", Dampier writes in 1729 : " The Jew-fish 

 is a very good Fish, and I judge so called by the English, 

 because it hath scales and Fins, therefore a clean Fish, accord- 

 ing to the Levitical law." The scientific name, Stereolepis, is 

 derived from two Greek words meaning " firm " and " a 

 scale " ; gigas, of course, means simply " giant ". 



GROUPERS OR ROCK-FISHES. 



(Genus Epinephelus.) PI. IIIc. 



The body is more or less compressed, and is covered with 

 small, smooth or prickly scales. The mouth is large. The 

 teeth are set in rows in the jaws, the inner ones being hinged 

 at their bases, so that they can be pressed downwards towards 

 the inside of the mouth ; usually there are some larger canine 

 teeth at the front of the jaws ; teeth are present on the roof 

 of the mouth, but there are none on the tongue. Each gill- 

 cover is armed with 1, 2 or 3 spines. The single dorsal fin 



