SWORDFISH 



jectionable, since it is in many districts used for 

 various species of Belonidaei the garfishes or green- 

 bones (Belone truncata and others), which are mem- 

 bers of the same faunas. Spearfish is a much better 

 name. 



The "sailfish," Hishiophonis americanus, is called 

 by sailors in the South the "boohoo" or "woohoo." 

 This is evidently a corrupted form of "guebum," 

 a name, apparently of Indian origin, given to the 

 same fish in Brazil. It is possible that Tetrapturus 

 is also called "boohoo," since the two genera are 

 not suflSciently unlike to impress sailors with their 

 differences. Blecker states that in Sumatra the 

 Malays call the related species, H. gladius, by the 

 name "Joohoo" (Juhu), a curious coincidence. 

 The names may have been carried from the Malay 

 Archipelago to South America, or vice versa, by 

 mariners. 



In Cuba the spearfish are called "aguja" and 

 "aguja de palada"; the sailfish, "aguja prieta" or 

 "aguja valadora"; Tetrapturus alhidus especially 

 known as the "aguja blanca," T. alhidus as the 

 "aguja de castro." 



In the West Indies and Florida the scabbard- 

 fish or silvery hairy-tail, Trichiurus lepturus, a form 

 allied to the Xiphias, though not resembling it 

 closely in external appearance, is often called "sword- 

 fish." The body of this fish is shaped like the blade 

 of a saber, and its skin has a bright, metallic luster 

 like that of polished steel, hence the name. 



Swordfish are most abundant on the shoals near 

 the shore and on the banks during the months of 

 July and August; that they make their appearance 



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