GEN. BELONE. THE GAR-FISH. 101 



about the beginning of July, in company with the 

 Mackerel, and remains till the end of August. It 

 attains the length of two, sometimes three feet. In 

 the young the jaws are of equal length ; when full 

 grown, the lower becomes the more projecting ; the 

 tail is forked. The upper parts of the body are of 

 a dark greenish blue mackerel-tint, becoming lighter 

 towards the sides, which, with the abdomen, are sil- 

 very white ; the iris is pale yellow. The greater 

 length of the upper jaw is produced by an elonga- 

 tion of the intermaxillary bones, and the gape is ex- 

 tensive, both jaws separating simultaneously. Ac- 

 cording to Mr. Couch, this fish swims near the 

 surface at all distances from land, and is seen not 

 unfrequently to spring out of its native element ; its 

 vivacity being such that it will for a long time play 

 about a floating straw, and leap over it many times 

 in succession. In the Forth it is caught both by 

 the net and hook, and it is sometimes found in the 

 haddock-lines, which are baited with mussels. Mr. 

 Couch adds, that when it is taken by the hook, it 

 mounts to the surface, often before the fishermen 

 have felt the bite ; and there, with its slender body 

 half out of the water, struggles with the most vio- 

 lent contortions to wrench the hook from its hold. 

 It emits a strong smell when newly caught. The 

 following method of fishing the Belone, in the Ionian 

 Islands, was communicated to Mr. Yarrell by Mr. 

 L. H. Tonna. A small triangular raft is formed of 

 three pieces of bamboo, each a foot and a half long ; 

 a little thwart is inserted, in which a small mast is 



