THE TUNA 197 



worms— a white rag! Like the bluefisli, the Spanish Mack- 

 eral and kingfish both bite best when the sails are well filled, 

 and the boat is making about twelve miles per hour. In 1902 

 the total catch for the United States amounted to 1,703,224 

 pounds, valued at $112,342, but for 1912 or 1913 no figures 

 are available. 



It would require many pages to contain a really adequate 

 life sketch of this interesting fish, which ranges most erratic- 

 ally, in great schools — or in none at all — from the Gulf of 

 Mexico to Block Island. It comes north only in the spring 

 and summer, and does not go far into waters that are colder 

 than 65°. (G. Brown Goode.) 



Apparently, specimens taken in northern waters average 

 much smaller than those taken around tjie two coasts of 

 Florida. Dr. Goode says this fish "sometimes attains a 

 weight of 8 or 9 pounds, though it rarely exceeds 3 or 4 

 pounds." A specimen of 3 pounds 5 ounces measured 26)4 

 inches in length. Drs. Jordan and Evermann give its weight 

 as "6 to 10 pounds," with a maximum of all "seen" of 25 

 pounds weight, and 41 inches in length. ("American Food 

 and Game Fishes.") 



The great leaping Tuna 1 of the enchanted waters of 

 Santa Catalina, "the tiger of the California seas," is, on our 

 Atlantic coast, the big but commonplace Horse Mackerel, 

 Tunny, or Great Albacore — no more, no less. It is the 

 largest and now the most interesting member of the Mackerel 

 Family. 



At Santa Catalina bold men, and women, too, go out 



1 Thun'nus thyn'nus. 



