328 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. [40] 
he has not figured. The fourth stage is from Giinther, a specimen 60 
millimeters long; the fifth, from Cuvier, and Valenciennes (pl. cexxx), 
their Histiophorus pulchellus, about 410 millimeters long; the sixth, from 
Riippell, a copy of his figure of H. immaculatus, said to be about 1,800 
millimeters long. ‘These illustrations show the development in a very 
satisfactory manner. . 
I'.—_ABUNDANCE. 
31.—ABUNDANCE AT THE PRESENT TIME. 
For many years from 3,000 to 6,000 of these fish have been taken an- 
nually on the New England coast. It is not unusual for twenty-five or 
more to be seen in the course of a single day’s cruising, and sometimes 
as many as this are visible from the mast-head at one time. Captain 
Ashby saw twenty at one time, in August, 1839, between George’s Banks 
and the South Shoals. One Gloucester schooner, the “ Midnight”, Capt. 
Alfred Wixon, took fourteen in one day on George’s Banks, in 1877. 
Capt. John Rowe obtained twenty barrels, or 4,000 pounds, of salt fish 
on one trip to George’s Banks; this amount represents twenty fish or 
more. 
Captain Ashby has killed 108 Sword-fish in one year; Capt. M. C. 
Tripp killed about $0 in 1874. 
Such instances as these indicate in a general way the abundance of 
the Sword-fish. A vessel cruising within 50 miles of our coast, between 
Cape May and Cape Sable, and during the months of June, July, 
August, and September, cannot fail, on a favorable day, to come in 
sight of several of them. Mr. Earll writes that the fishermen of Port- 
land never knew them more abundant than in 1879. This is probably, 
in part, due to the fact that the fishery there is of very recent origin. 
32.—ABUNDANCE IN THE PAST. AND PROBABILITY OF FUTURE DE- 
CREASE. 
There is no evidence of any change in their abundance, either increase 
or decrease. Fishermen agree that they are as plenty as ever, nor can 
any change be anticipated. ‘The present mode of fishing does not de- 
stroy them in any considerable numbers, each individual fish being the 
object, of special pursuit. The solitary habits of the species will always 
protect them from wholesale capture, so destructive to schooling fish. 
Kven if this were not the case, the evidence proves that spawning 
Sword-fish do not frequent our waters. When a female shad is killed 
thousands of possible young die also. The Sword-fish taken by our 
fishermen carry no such precious burden. 
33.—EFFECTS OF OVERFISHING IN THE MEDITERRANEAN. 
A very different tale was once told of the winter fishery in the Mediter- 
ranean. Meunier. quotes this testimony by Spallanzani: “I took part 
