162 GIANT FISHES 



fin, supported by numerous rays. The coloration is usually a 

 brilliant metallic blue or blue-black on the back, and a silvery- 

 white on the sides and belly ; sometimes there is a series of 

 pale blue cross-bands, or a number of pale blue spots arranged 

 in transverse series. The dorsal fin is generally blue, and 

 is nearly always ornamented with numerous small, round 

 black spots ; the caudal and pelvic fins are dark brown or 

 black. 



Grow to a length of 12 feet or more and a weight of several 

 hundred pounds. 



As in the case of the Spear-fishes, a number of species have 

 been described, but it is doubtful whether more than a quarter 

 of these are really valid. It seems possible that there are only 

 two existing species : the American Sail-fish, Voladora, Bicuda, 

 Boohoo or Becasse de Mer (7. americanus), found all over the 

 tropical part of the Atlantic; and the Indian Sail-fish, Kan- 

 segan or Banana Sail-fish (I. gladius), found in the Indian Ocean 

 and extending right across the Pacific to the Hawaiian Islands, 

 and the coasts of Mexico, California and Panama. 



Like the Spear-fishes, the Sail-fishes are inhabitants of 

 warm seas, but during the summer months they follow the 

 shoals of smaller fishes northwards. In the Atlantic they may 

 extend as far as Cape Cod on the American side. Until 

 recently Sail-fishes have never been seen in the neighbourhood 

 of the British Isles, although a young one had been caught 

 somewhere between France and South Africa. In August, 

 1928, however, a large individual was captured in a dying 

 condition in the estuary of the Yealm River in South 

 Devon. 



The Sail-fishes are regarded as being among the swiftest of 

 fishes, rivalling the Spear-fishes in this respect. When travel- 

 ling at high speed the huge dorsal fin is folded away into a 

 deep groove in the back, the pelvic and anal fins are likewise 

 stowed away, and the pectorals are pressed close against the 

 sides of the body. It has been suggested that these fishes 

 are able to travel at 60 miles an hour, but accurate information 

 on this point is not forthcoming. 



On calm days Sail-fishes have been described as basking in 

 the sun at the surface of the sea, with the brilliantly coloured 

 dorsal fin fully erect and projecting from the water. Some 



