THE SWORD-FISH. 281 



genus to which it belongs, and in which no less than seventy species have been classed. 

 It is found in various localities, from the Red Sea throughout all the Indian seas, and 

 is tolerably common. The form of this fish is sufficiently curious to render it a con- 

 spicuous species, and it may be easily distinguished from its many congeners by the 

 oblong spot on the operculum, and the six black bands that are drawn across the 

 body and reach nearly to the abdomen. 



ANOTHER species of this genus is the RUDDER-FISH (Caranx carangus\ so called 

 because it is fond of hovering about the rudders of vessels, apparently for the sake of 

 picking up the refuse food that is thrown overboard. It is rather a pretty fish, the 

 general color being silvery white and blue. The lateral line is covered, near the tail, 

 with a row of spinous plates. It is rather remarkable that this fish, when hooked, emits 

 a rather loud chattering kind of noise, thought to proceed from the passage of air 

 through the gills. The flesh of the Rudder-fish is rather coarse, but is digestible and 

 nourishing. Another fish ( Pammelas perciformis ), found in the seas of Northern 

 America, is sometimes called by the name of Rudder-fish. 



CLOSELY allied to this fish is the well-known HORSE MACKAREL ( Trachurus trachurus ) 

 of our own coasts, sometimes known by the popular name of SCAD. 



This species is common in the British seas, and occasionally appears in enormous 

 shoals, almost rivalling in numbers those of the common mackarel, and crowding so 

 closely against each other that they cannot escape if threatened by danger, and may 

 be taken out of the sea by hand or dipped -out in buckets. The flesh of the Horse 

 Mackarel is rather coarse, and when fresh is held in very slight esteem. However, it 

 readily takes salt, and is then much eaten, especially during the winter months. 



The color of the Horse Mackarel is dusky olive on the upper part of the back, 

 changing in certain lights to resplendent green, which descends down the sides, and is 

 variegated by wavy bands of blue. The sides of the head and the abdomen are silvery 

 white. The lateral line is furnished with a row of strong and deeply keeled bony plates, 

 which give to the hinder part of the body a somewhat squared outline. 



THE well-known SWORD-FISH derives its popular name from the curious development 

 of the snout, which projects forward, and is greatly prolonged, into a shape somewhat 

 resembling a sword-blade. The " sword " is formed by the extension of certain bones 

 belonging to the upper part of the head. 



This fine fish is found in the Mediterranean Sea, and also in the Atlantic Ocean, 

 and in the former locality is often very plentiful. The Sicilian fishermen are accus- 

 tomed to pursue the Sword-fish in boats, and mostly employ the harpoon in its capture. 

 The weapon is not very heavy, and by a strong and practised hand can be hurled to 

 some distance. 



The fishermen are accustomed to chant a kind of song, set to words which no one 

 can understand, but which are supposed to be the more efficacious for their incompre- 

 hensibility. This song is thought by some writers to be a corruption of some old 

 Greek verses, and the fishermen believe that the Sword-fish is so fond of this song that 

 it follows the boat in which it is sung. They will not venture to speak one word of 

 Italian, thinking that the Sword-fish would understand what they were saying, learn 

 that they contemplated its death, and then dive and make its escape. No bait of any 

 kind is employed, the unintelligible chant being thought to be far more efficacious than 

 any material aid. 



The flesh of the Sword-fish is always eatable and nourishing, and in small specimens 

 is white and well-flavored. 



The use of the " sword " is not clearly ascertained. In all probability, the fish employs 

 this curious weapon in gaining its subsistence, but the precise mode of so doing is not 

 known. It is an ascertained fact that the Sword-fish will sometimes attack whales, and 

 stab them deeply with its sharp beak ; and it is also known that this fish has several times 

 driven its beak so deeply into a ship that the weapon has been broken off by the shock. 

 In such cases, the blow is so severe, that the sailors have fancied that their vessel has 

 struck upon a rock. Several museums possess examples of pierced planks and beams, but 



