14 THETARPON 



5 

 The scale formula of the tarpon appears to be 45-46 ' 



The fish has 53-57 vertebrae. 



The osteological characteristics of the family have been de- 

 scribed by Dr. W. G. Ridewood in the Proceedings of the Zoo- 

 logical Society of London for 1904 (Vol. II, pp. 35-81). 



The earliest scientific description of the tarpon or cama- 

 ripuguacus as it is there named, occurs in Georgius Marc- 

 gravius Hisforiae rerum naturalium Brasiliae published at 

 Leydon and Amsterdam in 1648. The book is written in latin. 

 A copy of the interesting drawing of the fish is here repro- 

 duced, and the latin text has been translated by Dr. Philip 

 Becker Goetz of the University of Buffalo, Diligent search has 

 indicated that this is the earliest description and drawing of 

 the tarpon. The translation follows : 



"Among common sea-fish is found the Camaripuguacus, 

 which at maturity attains the bulk and size of a man and 

 is exceedingly fat. It possesses a very large toothless 

 mouth, its lower jaw fixed and its upper shorter. The 

 eyes are large and silvery; its tail broad, somewhat 

 forked ; and to its dorsal fin when erect there is a long 

 appendage attached like a thick rope running straight 

 toward the tail. The entire fish is covered with scales 

 which are closely placed upon it, and so beautifully diver- 

 sified is the silver with the blue that it seems coated as 

 if with pure silver. That it may be the more pleasing to 

 the taste, it should be caught young and cooked rather 

 long on account of its thick and solid flesh, which is full 

 of thick spines ; for when it is no longer young, its meat 

 would prove tough and fit only for porters." 

 Dr. Theodore Gill, one of the great authorities on Ichthy- 

 ology, in his article '"The Tarpon, the Lady Fish and their 

 Relatives" published ]>y the Smitlisojiian Institution in Vol. 48 

 of its Miscellaneous Collection says : 



"The tarpon has an elongated fusiform shape ; the fore- 

 head is slightly incurved (rather than straight) to the 



