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 
