238 



BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF FISHERIES 



bluefish, upper as well as lower, are arpied all around with a single series of stout^ 

 conical, canine teeth (one-eighth to one-fourth of an inch long in a fish of about 10 

 pounds), whei'eas the crevalle alone of northern pompanos has canines and then 

 only two. Furthermore, the caudal peduncle of the bluefish is stouter than that 

 of any pompano. It is sharply differentiated from all mackerels by the absence 

 of dorsal or ventral finlets. 



The bluefish is moderately stout bodied, about one-fourth as deep as long; 

 its belly flat sided but bhmt edged below; its caudal peduncle moderate (slimmer, 

 however, than in many other fish, e. g., striped bass); its head deep; its nose 

 moderately pointed; and its mouth large and oblique with projecting lower jaw 

 and very prominent canines. The first dorsal (7 to 8 stout spines), originating over 

 the middle of the pectoral, is low, rounded, depressible in a groove, and separated 

 by only a very short interval from the second, which is more than twice as long 

 (about 25 soft rays) and about twice as high, tapering backward with slightly 

 concave margin. The anal (about 25 rays) is similar in form to the second dorsal, 

 but originates somewhat farther back and is preceded by a very short detached 



Fig. 112. — Bluefish (Fomatomu^ saliatTtx) 



spine often hidden in the skin. The caudal is broad and forked — "moderately"' 

 or "deeply," according to what other fish it is compared with. The ventrals and 

 pectorals are both of moderate size. The body, most of the head, and also the 

 second dorsal and anal fins are clothed with medium-sized scales. There are no 

 shields or keeled scales along the lateral line nor is the caudal peduncle keeled. 



Color. — Deep bluish above, more or less tinged with green; silvery below. 

 The second dorsal, caudal, and pectoral fins are of the general body tint, the latter 

 with a black blotch at its base. 



Size. — Maximum length about 3 feet. The heaviest of which we find definite 

 record within recent years was 3 feet 9 inches long and weighed 27 pounds.^ It was 

 caught oif Nantucket in 1903. It is said that fish of 30 or even 50 pounds were not 

 imheard of during the last half of the eighteenth century, but these monsters may 

 not have been actually weighed. The general run of the large fish that are caught 

 is only 10 to 15 pounds. A 1-pound fish is about 14 inches; a 2-pounder about 17 

 inches; a 3-pounder about 20 to 21 inches; a 4-pounder, 2 feet; and an 8-pounder 

 about 28 to 29 inches long. Fish running from 10 to 12 pounds are about 30 inches.^ 



! Smith. Forest and Stream, Vol. 61, Oct. 10, 1903, p. 283. 

 > Goode, et al., 1884. 



