[37] MATERIALS FOR A HISTORY OF THE SWORD-FISHES. 325 
taken off Portland, August, 15, 1878, was 3,999 millimeters long, and 
weighed about 600 pounds. Many of these fish doubtless attain the 
weight of 400 and 500 pounds, and some, perhaps, grow to 600; but 
after this limit is reached, I am inclined to believe larger fish are excep- 
tional. Newspapers are fond of recording the occurrence of giant fish, 
weighing 1,500 pounds and upwards, and old sailors will in good faith 
describe the enormous fish which they saw at sea, but could not capture ; 
but one well-authenticated instance of accurate weighing is much more 
valuable. The largest one ever taken by Capt. Benjamin Ashby, for 
twenty years a swordfisherman, was killed on the shoals back of Edgar- 
town, Mass. When salted it weighed 639 pounds. Its live weight must 
have been as much as 750 or 800 pounds. Its sword measured nearly 
6 feet. This was an extraordinary fish among the three hundred or 
more taken by Captain Ashby in his long experience. He considers the 
average sizé to be about 250 pounds dressed, or 325alive. Captain Mar- 
tin, of Gloucester, estimates the average size at 300 to 400 pounds. 
The largest known to Captain Michaux weighed 625 pounds. The 
average about Block Island he considers to be 200 pounds. 
There are other stories of large fish. Capt. R. H. Hurlbert, of 
Gloucester, killed one on George’s Banks, in September, 1876, which 
weighed when dressed 480 pounds. Capt. John Rowe, of the same port, 
salted one which filled two and one-half barrels. This probably weighed 
600 pounds when alive. I have been told that a Sword-fish loses one- 
third of its weight in dressing, but I should think that one-fourth would 
be nearer to the truth. Captain Baker, of the schooner “ Peter D. 
Smith”, of Gloucester, assures me that he killed, in the summer of 1874, 
off Portland, a Sword-fish which weighed 750 pounds. 
Mitchill and DeKay state that in 1791 a Sword-fish 16 feet in length 
was exhibited in New York. It is questionable whether they often 
exceed this measurement. My own observations have been made on 
specimens from 7 to 12 feet long. A stuffed specimen in the United 
States National Museum measures eleven feet, and this seems to be very 
nearly the average size. 
oe 
°8.--MINIMUM SIZE OF AMERICAN SWORD-FISH. 
The size of the smallest Sword-fishes taken on our coastis a subject of 
much deeper interest, for it throws light on the time and place of breed- 
ing. There is some difference of testimony regarding the average size, 
but all fishermen with whom I have talked agree that very small ones 
do not find their way into our waters. I have collected several in- 
stances from the experiences of men long wonted to this fishery. 
Capt. John Rowe has seen one which did not weigh more than 75 
pounds when taken out of the water. 
Capt. R. H. Hurlbert killed, near Block Island, in July, 1877, one 
which weighed 50 pounds, and measured about 2 feet without its sword. 
Captain Ashby’s smallest weighed about 25 pounds when dressed ; 
