The Leaping Tuna 85 



they have been induced to bite by running a 

 launch at full speed, with a large, brilliant bait, 

 a white rag, or a large bone jig; this was the 

 method adopted by the professional fishermen 

 years ago, a fast sail-boat being used ; but in this 

 way only a hand-line can be employed to advan- 

 tage. The tuna will readily bite up to eight 

 o'clock at night, or until the phosphorescence 

 becomes too brilliant, and often in the morning 

 at Avalon flying-fishes are found in boats or on 

 the beaches, where they have soared to avoid 

 this rapacious fish. 



The breeding habits of the tuna in this region 

 are unknown. The Mediterranean is a breeding 

 ground, and doubtless the Santa Catalina channel 

 is a depository for the spawn, which is laid 

 in the open sea floating on the surface, but 

 young tunas have never been seen here; the 

 smallest observed were about three feet in length, 

 the average adult weighing about one hundred 

 and fifty pounds. In 1902 schools of tunas were 

 seen in February, several fishes being hooked 

 and one caught in March ; but this was unusual. 

 It is supposed that they are offshore either in 

 deep water or in milder regions to the south in 

 the larger field of the open sea. In appearance 



