ISOSPONDYLI 



{Big Haarders or ^CefalonV) 



Although this fish belongs to the order of the Isospondyli it is 

 of a species which has not yet been determined. 



It is encountered in shoals in the coastal shallows and, as 

 we have related, often accompanies mantas and feeds on the 

 same food as them, that is, plankton or animal and vegetable 

 organisms of minute proportions. In our experience it may 

 be as long as four feet and weigh about twenty pounds. 



Shoals of these splendid silver fish are easily seen as they 

 feed in the sea, ploughing the surface with their projecting 

 upper lip and the upper wing of their thin sickle tail. We 

 called them 'cefaloni' (big haarders) because of their likeness 

 to that species. But while they are easily seen it is difficult to 

 get close to them. For a long time it was impossible for us to 

 ascertain to what fish those projecting fins belonged, since we 

 had only to put our feet to the water to make them scatter 

 from the scene. In time we learned that it was wiser to let 

 them approach themselves than to go chasing them. Once 

 shot they put up a tenacious and bitter resistance, giving 

 evidence of unusual strength. 



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