442 NATURAL HISTORY OF AQUATIC ANIMALS. 



"I was unable to obtain any very young fish about Wood's Holl in 1871, the smallest found 

 making their appearance quite suddenly along the coast, especially in the Tittle bays, about the 

 middle of August, and then measuring about five by one and one-fifth inches. By the end of 

 September, however, these had reached a length of seven or eight iuches, and at the age of about 

 a year they probably constitute the twelve or fourteen inch fish referred to as occurring aloug the 

 southern coast. The fish of the third year, or those two years old, are possibly the three-pouud 

 fish, while the five to seven pound fish may be considered a year older still. Accurate observa- 

 tions are wanting, however, to determine these facts; as also whether they require two years, or 

 three or more, to attain sufficient maturity for breeding. As far as I know, there is no appreciable 

 diflerence between the sexes in their rate of growth or weight, excepting that the female is likely 

 to be a little deeper in the body." 



A Bluefish weighing one pound measures about fourteen inches; two pounds, seventeen 

 inches; three pounds, twenty -one iuches; four pounds, twenty-four inches; five pounds, twenty- 

 six inches; six pounds, twenty-six to twenty-seven iuches, and eight pounds, twenty-nine iuches. 



STEARNS ON BLUEFISH IN THE GULF OF MEXICO. Mr. Stearns' notes on the occurrence 

 of the Bluefish in the Gulf of Mexico are so important that they are quoted here in full: 



"The Bluefish is abundant in West Florida and as far west as the Mississippi River, but is 

 rare or not found at all in other parts of the Gulf. At Pensacola and vicinity it is at certain 

 seasons one of the most important fishes of trade. Here it is caught only in seines and when 

 migrating, during the mouths of April, May, June, November, and December. It usually appears 

 ou the coast in April sometimes a little sooner and conies from the southeast, swimming directly 

 in from deep water, or parallel to the land, according to the condition of the sea. It sometimes 

 swims near the surface, either to sport or prey upon smaller surface-swimming fishes, but more 

 commonly at some depth in shoal water along the beach. Many schools are observed through the 

 months of April, May, and June approaching the laud from the eastward, and it is supposed that 

 there are several distinct 'runs' in that period. These 'runs' take place every year, although 

 much larger some years than others. It is usually the case that the fish arriving in the spring are 

 small, averaging two and a half pounds weight, and that those caught in the fall are larger, aver- 

 aging four pounds or more. A few very large individuals are found in both seasons. 



"In May and June Bluefish enter the bays. They remain for some days in the swift tide- 

 ways when inside, and then disappear almost entirely from observation. A few are taken through 

 the summer with hook and line in the bays and at sea. Excepting the smallest ones, all the 

 Bluefish contain spawn when they arrive in the spring. With the larger fish the spawn is nearly 

 ripe, and with the small and intermediate size is found in nearly all stages. April 29, 1879, 1 

 examined two female Bluefish, weighing seven and eight pounds, and found spawn almost ripe 

 enough to flow from the oviduct. The same day others, smaller ones, were examined, in which 

 the ovaries were scarcely visible. The spawning season of the Bluefish includes several months, 

 I think, which are May, June, July, and August. 



"There can be no doubt of its spawning iu the bays, sounds, and bayous, as all evidence 

 gained goes so far to prove it. On June 18, 1878, and August 9, 1878, 1 caught young Bluefish of 

 about three-quarters of an inch iu length in Pensacola Bay. These fry were very active and gave 

 me no little trouble in capturing them. Their color was a brilliant green, which faded consider- 

 ably when placed in alcohol. These, with others, were sent to the National Museum with my 

 collections of that year. Many other specimens of about that size were seen in August, but 

 escaped my net. During the months of November and December many small schools of Bluefisb 

 are seeu to pass out of the inlets, and, if there is not much surf, to follow along the beach eastward. 



