pound black marlin captured south of Hawaii by the 

 Bureau of Commercial Fisheries research vessel 

 John R_. Manning had in its stomach a 157-pound 

 yellowfin tuna which had been speared through its 

 body twice before being eaten. During the 1967 

 Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament a blue 

 marlin was caught with a 63-pound bigeye tuna in its 

 stomach. On the tuna's flank were several wounds 

 which may have been inflicted by the marlin's bill. 

 The marlin, including the tuna, weighed 748 pounds. 



Thus there is no doubt the fish have used their 

 bills to spear prey. Whether this spearing is inten- 

 tional is another question. It has been argued that 

 these stabbings are probably accidental, since most 

 billfish prey are not stabbed. 



