692. PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM, 147 
SPHYRANIDA. 
Sphyreena argentea Girard. Barracuda. 
Girard, Pacific R. R. Survey, x 39, 1859; Steind. Ichthyol., Beitr., vir, 1, 1878. 
J. & G., 80, 29; R. Smith, 80; J. & G., ’80a, 456; id. 81, 44; id. ’82, 41; R. 
Smith, ’85. E. Zoe, April, ’90. 
This is one of the most important food fishes of the whole of southern 
California. In summer it is abundant onthe whole coast of California 
from Monterey southward, but it is probably more abundant southward 
than in the neighborhood of Monterey. During the winter it disappears 
from the coast of California, but is taken on the coast of Lower Cali- 
fornia. It probably migrates bodily southward, but stray individuals 
undoubtedly remain in the waters of southern California throughout 
the year, for two or three days of exceptionally fine weather invariably 
brings them into the market. It is likely that these stray individuals 
live in deep water during the winter, and come to the surface on bright 
days. It is quite possible, though not probable, that a great part of 
those disappearing descend to deeper water. The tact that they are 
taken only by the troll or by gill nets sufficiently explains why they 
should not be caught in deep water. 
Their movements have been watched through an entire season at 
San Diego, and as these observations may be valuable to serve as a 
basis for comparison, they may be stated here. 
During January, 1890, none were seen. During February, 1890, 
four were taken on the 7th, one on the 11th, and two on the 28th. All 
these dates were at the end of a succession of days of exceptionally fine 
weather. On March 1, 1890, two were taken. On March 26, 1889, a 
few were caught, and on the following day they were abundant and 
remained so, with occasional lapses, throughout the summer. At the 
beginning of July they were with ripe spawn. 
During September few were taken, but on the 29th, 30th, and 31st 
of October they were again abundant. On November 6 one was 
taken, on the 7th another, on the 15th one young one was caught with 
a hook in the bay, and on the 18th another young one was brought 
from off Point Loma. On the 16th of December, one young individual, 
evidently of the preceding summev’s spawning, was taken in the bay, 
and on the 30th a large one was caught off Point Loma. 
The adult never or very rarely enter the bay, but in spring the 
young, those not yet a year old and measuring about a foot in length, 
enter the bay in large schools, and are then destroyed in quantities 
with seines or Chinese bag nets. 
About San Diego the troll is the only means used in catching them. 
It is simply a piece of white rag, or, more commonly, a fragment of 
bone, to which a hook is lashed. One or more of these is dragged be- 
hind a boat made usually after the pattern of the Columbia River sal- 
mon boats. The amount of the catch depends largely on the wind. A 
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