TALES OF FISHES 



The spear-fish in our waters is said by our fisher- 

 men to resemble the swordfish in its movements 

 and manner of feeding. Professor Poey narrates 

 that both the Cuban species swim at a depth of 

 one hundred fathoms, and they journey in pairs, 

 shaping their course toward the Gulf of Mexico, 

 the females being full of eggs. Only adults are 

 taken. It is not known whence they come, or where 

 they breed, or how the young return. It is not even 

 known whether the adult fish retiu*n by the same 

 route. When the fish has swallowed the hook it 

 rises to the surface, making prodigious leaps and 

 plunges. At last it is dragged to the boat, secured 

 with a boat-hook, and beaten to death before it is 

 hauled on board. Such fishing is not without dan- 

 ger, for the spear-fish sometimes rushes upon the 

 boat, drowning the fisherman, or wounding him with 

 its terrible weapon. The fish becomes furious at 

 the appearance of sharks, which are its natural 

 enemies. They engage in violent combats, and when 

 the spear-fish is attached to the fisherman's line it 

 often receives frightfiJ wounds from the adversaries. 



The spear-fish strikes vessels in the same manner 

 as the swordfish. I am indebted to Capt. WiUiam 

 Spicer, of Noank, Connecticut, for this note: 



Mr. William Taylor, of Mystic, a man seventy-six years 

 old, who was in the smack Evergreen, Capt. John Appleman, 

 tells me that they started from Mystic, October 3, 1832, on a 

 fishing voyage to Key West, in company with the smack Morning 

 Star, Captain Rowland. On the 12th were oflf Cape Hatteras, 

 the winds blowing heavily from the northeast, and the smack 

 under double-reefed sails. At ten o'clock in the evening they 

 struck a woho, which shocked the vessel all over. The smack 

 was leaking badly, and they made a signal to the Morning 



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