XII 



THE SAILFISH 



{Istiophorus nigricans) 



THE sailfish belongs to the same family as 

 the spearfish and is to be found in the warm 

 waters of the West Indies and in the Gulf 

 stream along the coast of southern Florida. 



The sailfish are long and slim of body 

 and not of great weight. A fish that is seven 

 feet long will as a rule weigh under fifty 

 pounds. 



Their peculiarity is their large indigo 

 blue dorsal fin and it is difficult to fathom 

 the purpose for which this fin is intended. 

 The theory that these fish lie on the surface 

 and work to windward with their sail-like fin 

 is a romance, nor do they seem to use it 

 when swimming beneath the surface. The 

 fin houses in a slot and I have never seen 

 it in use except when this active fish is jump- 



[133] 



