THE LONG-FINNED TUNA 183 



over bits of sardine or cuts up another fish. Almost 

 as soon as this strikes the water the albacores appear. 

 They have not been seen before, so must he forty or 

 fifty feet down; but the moment the silvery objects 

 appear, up they come with a rush, bonitos, and some- 

 times the yellow-fin tuna with them, a ravenous horde, 

 taking everything in a whirlwind fashion — your bait, 

 the floating pieces, and anything you may toss over. 

 To test their tameness, impale a sardine on your gaff 

 and lower it down. In a moment a thirty-pounder 

 has seized it and you have gaffed and lifted him in. 

 But I advise you not to tell the story, as no one will 

 believe it, though it is one of the easiest things to 

 accomplish when these fishes are biting in their normal 

 fashion. With a little patience you might be able to 

 induce one to take a sardine from your hand. 



The sight when this horde rushes up and dashes 

 into the field is a peculiar one. The fishes are a vivid, 

 almost iridescent blue, particularly the bonito; and as 

 they dash about they are the humming-birds of the 

 sea. 



There is but one species of this fish, Thunniis ala- 

 longa, and it is closely allied to the great tuna. It is 

 rarely seen in the Atlantic, but is common in the 

 IVIediterranean and about all the Channel Islands and 

 various parts of the Pacific. It roams the seas in not 

 very compact schools, often travelling with the tunas 

 or bonitos; a big hard-fighting, roistering fellow, which, 

 were it possible to take him in shallow water, would 

 occupy a place with the salmon as a great game fish. 



Very little is known as to its breeding habits. Those 

 specimens taken here contain spawn; hence I assume 

 that they deposit their eggs on the high seas. The 



