SURFACE-FEEDING SEA FISH 389 



to herald. Through the cold weather they live in deep water, 

 appearing on our coasts in spring. 



There are many curious instances on record of these fish 

 having so savagely darted at their prey as to transfix them on 

 their long snout. Several mackerel have been picked up 

 pierced by the upper jaw of a garfish, which in some cases had 

 broken off. In the ' Zoologist ' is an account of a salmon peal 

 (by which, I take it, is meant the sea trout of Devonshire) having 

 been attacked by a garfish. The long snout had passed com- 

 pletely through the thickest portion of the trout, which weighed 

 nearly four pounds. 



But sometimes the garfish itself is hunted. Mr. Dunn, of 

 Mevagissey, tells a story of seeing one chased by a porpoise. 

 For a hundred yards the fish and its pursuer rushed through 

 the sea, the former continually throwing itself out of the 

 water. When the garfish was almost overtaken, a projecting 

 rock was providentially arrived at over which it leaped. The 

 porpoise, on the other hand, ran its head against the stone, 

 was more or less stunned, and gave up the pursuit. Garfish 

 are great leapers, often springing high into the air ; and I have 

 heard of their being caught by means of a net floated on the 

 surface of the water. In the autumn large quantities are taken 

 in the mackerel seines. As a rule these peculiar creatures are 

 not specially fished for by sportsmen, but numbers are caught 

 when whiffing for mackerel, and angling with drift lines for 

 pollack, bass, &c. They sometimes give off a very peculiar 

 smell when first brought into the boat, and their flesh does not 

 the more commend itself to the epicure by reason of the peculiar 

 green bones. I have heard people say they were better than 

 mackerel, but that is a matter of opinion. Certainly they make 

 very good baits cut up into strips. 



The SKIPPER, or SAURY, closely resembles the garfish. It is 

 also known as saury -pike, skip -jack, halion, and skopster. The 



