448 NATURAL HISTORY OF AQUATIC ANIMALS. 



P. BARRACOUTA, MULLET, PIKE, AND MUMMICHOGS. 



151. THE BARRACOUTA FAMILY SPHYR^ENID^. 



This family is represented on oar Atlantic coast by several species, none of which appear to 

 l>e at all abundant north of Florida, except one species, which has recently appeared in consid- 

 erable numbers on the coast of Southern Massachusetts, and which is recorded by Jordan as 

 abundant in its young state in Beaufort Harbor, North Carolina. This species, called by DeKay 

 8phyrwna borealis, is closely related to, if not identical with, S. spot of the Mediterranean. No 

 specimens of greater length than ten or twelve inches have ever been taken, and individuals of 

 this size are very unusual, though smaller ones, ranging from two to six inches, are occasionally 

 found in large schools about the western end of Martha's Vineyard and about Wood's Holl, 

 Massachusetts. It seems incredible that the young should occur so abundantly in these waters 

 and the full-grown individuals should be absent. This is, possibly, because we do not yet know 

 how to capture them. The common Barracouta, or "Barracuda," of the West Indies, Sphyrcena 

 picuda, occasionally finds its way into our northern waters, and one or two specimens of them and 

 other West Indian species have been taken at Wood's Holl. 



8. picuda is the common Barracouta of Key West and the southern coast. It is caught with 

 hook and line, and appears occasionally in the markets. Mr. Stearns states that it is only of 

 average merit as a food-fish. He records the capture of several very small specimens belonging to 

 this genus in Pensacola and Choctawhatchee Bays in June, 1880. In the West Indies this, or 

 some closely related species, grows to the enormous length of eight feet and the weight of forty 

 pounds, and is as much dreaded as the large sharks. 



Although to some extent used as food, this is one of the forbidden fishes of the Cuban markets, 

 there having been instances of severe sickness caused by eating its flesh. Since, however, a large 

 part of the best food-fishes of the West Indian waters are tabooed by Cuban law, this is hardly to 

 be regarded as a fair criterion. In the Bermudas both Sphyrcena picuda, called " Sennet," and 8. 

 spet, which is called the "Barracuda," are highly esteemed for food and meet with ready sale. 



On the California coast occurs another species, Sphyrcena argcntea, which is everywhere known 

 as the 'Barracuda,' or 'Barracuta'; this species reaches a length of about three feet and a 

 weight of twelve pounds. 



Professor Jordan remarks concerning it as follows: "It is abundant in summer from San Fran- 

 cisco southward, great numbers having been taken every where from Santa Cruz southward. It is 

 found mainly at a distance of three miles or more from the shore. In open water it will sometimes 

 take a still hook, but near the shore it must be trolled for. It arrives in late spring or summer, 

 at different times in different places, the main 'runs,' about the Santa Barbara Islands, being in 

 July; farther north, somewhat later. It spawns at San Pedro about the 1st of August. In Sep- 

 tember it usually disappears, but the young often remain in the south and are taken with the seine 

 in the winter. It is not known whether it retreats to the south or to deep water. It feeds upon 

 anchovies and other fishes. As a food-fish it is one of the best and most important on the coast. 

 It is highly esteemed when dried and salted, and, like the white-fish and yellow-tail, then sells at 

 a price higher than that received for the Alaska codfish." 



