170 Recreations of a Sportsman 



the Gulf of Mexico species it would have weighed 

 three times as much. This is the shark that hangs 

 about the edge of the big schools of barracuda 

 and yellow-fin tuna, picking up disabled fish 

 or plunging into the school and trusting to 

 luck. When the angler hooks a fish the bonito 

 shark is ready to dash after it, and generally 

 secures it. 



In landing one of these sharks, T. McD. Potter, 

 the president of the Three Six Club, brought it 

 to the rail; his boatman, Neal, gaffed it, and 

 the fight was considered over; when the shark 

 dashed out of water half its length and, like a 

 bulldog, snapped at the boatman's arm, missing 

 it by a matter of inches so near that as it fell 

 back its sharp recurved bang-like teeth tore away 

 the man's shirt. Such a shark could easily bite 

 off an arm, leg, or head of a man. 



Among the large sharks which are considered 

 game in Southern California waters is the ham- 

 merhead. It appears in the warm summer 

 months, especially in August and September, 

 often coming from the South or other cruising 

 grounds, lean and hungry, the Cassius of the 

 sea, ready for anything. At such time, this 

 graceful creature with a head suggestive of a 

 nightmare, its eyes on the extremity of the 

 hammer-like projections, is often so intrusive 

 that it will approach boats and steal fish. I 

 have followed such a fish and demonstrated its 



