282 Bass, Pike, and Perch 



THE BONITO 



(Sarda sarda) 



The bonito is a very handsome and gamy fish 

 belonging to the mackerel family. It was named 

 sarda by Bloch, in 1 793, from its being taken in 

 the vicinity of Sardinia. It inhabits both coasts 

 of the Atlantic Ocean, and the Mediterranean Sea. 

 It is not uncommon from the region of Cape Cod 

 southward to Florida and the West Indies, where 

 it is more abundant. 



It has a long, graceful body, nearly round, its 

 depth a fourth of its length. It is elliptical in 

 outline, tapering to a very slender caudal pedicle, 

 which is strongly keeled. The mouth is large, 

 with strong, conical teeth. The caudal fin is 

 deeply forked, or swallow-like. Its color is dark 

 steel-blue above, silvery below, with white belly. 

 There are numerous dark oblique stripes running 

 from the back downward and forward, by which 

 it is easily recognized. The ventral fins are 

 whitish, the other fins are bluish black. 



The bonito is a pelagic fish, approaching the 

 shores in search of food, which consists of small 

 fishes almost entirely. It grows to a length of 

 three or four feet, though it is usually taken of 



