Big Game Fishes 



on account of over-fishing, that it is an expen- 

 sive bait. At the islands, for trolling, the 

 principal baits for yellowtail are the California 

 herring, Clupea pallasii, and the California 

 smelt, Atherinopsis calif orniensis, the latter 

 preferred on account of its firmness. The Cali- 

 fornia flying-fish, Exoccetus californiensis, is the 

 only bait in vogue for the tuna. It is caught 

 in gill-nets, and numbers are frequently found in 

 early morning in the fleet of fishing-boats and 

 upon the beaches where they have " sailed " to 

 escape the midnight raids of tuna and white sea- 

 bass. The flying-fish is migratory, arriving at 

 Santa Catalina in April, sometimes earlier, 

 sometimes later, spawning in Avalon Bay in 

 May and June. In July I have found the young 

 half an inch long. They resemble grasshoppers 

 in their attempts to "fly," hopping from the water 

 six or eight inches with fins extended, and remain- 

 ing on the surface like the gar. All reports to 

 the contrary, the flying-fish does not fly. When 

 alarmed it whirls its tail about like a screw, which 

 drives it from the water with great force. The 

 convulsive motion of the tail extends up the body 

 toward the head, imparting to it a wriggling 

 motion, which in turn imparts to the "wings," 



