1 88 "^ AMERICAN GAME FISHES. 



coast. The fish of the third year, or those two years old, are 

 possibly the three-pound fish, while the five to seven pound 

 fish may be considered a year older still. Accurate observa- 

 tions are wanting, however, to determine these facts; as also 

 whether they require two years or three or more to attain 

 sufficient maturity for breeding. As far as I know, there is 

 no appreciable difference between the sexes in their rate of 

 growth or weight, excepting that the female is likely to be a 

 little deeper in the body. 



A Blue-fish weighing one pound measures about fourteen 

 inches; two pounds, seventeen inches; three pounds, twenty- 

 six inches; six pounds, twenty-six to twenty-seven inches, and 

 eight pounds, twenty-nine inches. 



The Blue-fish is one of our most important of sea-fishes, 

 and surpassed in public estimation only by the Spanish Mack- 

 erel and the Pompano. It may be said to furnish a large part 

 of the supply to the Middle and Northern States. It is a 

 standard fish in New York, Boston and other seaports and 

 is carried in great numbers into the interior. Its flesh is very 

 sweet and savory, but it does not keep very well. In the 

 Vineyard Sound the fishermen are in the habit of crimping 

 their fish, or killing them, by cutting their throats in such 

 a manner that they bleed freely. Every one who has oppor- 

 tunities for observing admits that fish thus treated are far 

 superior to any others. Great quantities of Blue-fish are 

 frozen in New York for winter consumption. They are still 

 considered unfit for food on our southern coast, and even in 

 the markets of Washington, D. C, I have frequently been 

 stopped by fish-dealers who asked me to assure their custom- 

 ers that Blue-fish were eatable. They are growing in favor 

 everywhere, however, just as they did in Boston. Capt. 

 Atwood tells me that in 1865 but very few were sold in Bos- 

 ton, and that the demand has been increasing ever since. 

 When he first went to Boston with a load of Blue-fish he got 

 two cents a pound for them; the second year they were scaicer 



