456 K.Or.VKICHI iaSHrS'(3UYE : 



knowu Kterarv work b}' Kenko Yoshida at the time of the Ashikaga Shöguns, 

 it is stated that the Ixinito was Talued iu Kamakiu'a at that time, though it 

 had been condemned as an inferior fish in previous times. In the time of the 

 Tokugawa Shöguns, however, an extravagant price was jmid for an early ar- 

 rival of bonitos in late spring iu Yedo, as was the case with the mackerel iu Lon- 

 don informer days. Many short poems called " hokku," mostly sathical, were 

 written about the early bonito at the time, and many extraordinary tales 

 are still told alx)ut it. At that time the fish w-as eaten raw as sashimi. 

 Early iu summer the generative orgau of the l^onito is still small, and the 

 climate is not yet so hot as to cause quick puti'efaetion of the fish. Therefore 

 bonitos of prime condition were obtained in this season, and at this time the 

 fish was caught near the coast and was sent by express rowing boats, manned 

 by about ten men to each boat. Thus the gasti'ouomers of Yedo were able to 

 taste bonitos in a prime condition, and to enjoy the very rich flavour a few 

 hours after they were caught. At present touito-fishing is conducted in very 

 remote grounds only, and though caught iu early spring, the fish ai'e brought 

 to market, preserved iu ice, two or three days after capture. Consequently 

 their- choice flavour teing lost, early lx)nitos are nowadays no longer estimated 

 by epicuriaus. 



It grows to a leugth of about one metre, generally 18 kg iu weight, rare- 

 ly 25 kg. SpawTuug seems to take place from May to August. Tuunies and 

 spear-fishes are eueuiies. Bhynchobotliriwn is inevitably found in the flesh of 

 the bonito, especially abundant in autumn. Bonitos caught in off-shore waters 

 contain a much smaller quantity of fat tlian those caught in littoral w^atcrs. 

 The flesh of bonitos is longitudinally cut into four pieces and then smoked and 

 dried after boiling in water. This dried article called " katsuwobushi " is a 

 necessary article iu our household, being used as a condiment after shredding. 

 Its annual production is ca 11,000,030 kg. 



Genus Euthynnus Lütken. 



Eutbynmis, Liitken, JIS. in .lorilan & Gilbert, Syn. Fish. N. America, 429, 1883. 



Body plunjp, rounded, and naked outside of the coi-selet. Mouth rather 

 large, maxillary reaching the vertical from the centi'e of the eye. Teeth more 

 developed iu size and number tliau iu the other genera of the Katsuwonidae. 



