202 SPINY-FINNED FISHES 



The rules of the annual tournaments in which such records 

 are made are very severe and strict. The angler must make 

 his catch unaided, the fish must be reeled in and a broken 

 rod constitutes a disqualification. The rod must measure 

 not less than six feet nine inches, the tip must not exceed 

 five feet in length, and it may not weigh more than sixteen 

 ounces. The line must not contain more than twenty-four 

 threads and must sustain a dead weight not exceeding forty- 

 eight pounds. 



On our Atlantic coast the Horse Mackerel is not sought 

 by anglers as a game fish. Its average length is put down as 

 "about 8 feet." It feeds chiefly upon menhaden, and, inas- 

 much as its appetite is in proportion to its size, it is considered 

 very voracious. In its turn, this great fish is to the killer 

 (Orca gladiator) an ideal food fish, and from the latter it re- 

 ceives special attentions which the Tunny would gladly forego. 



One of the largest specimens on record, as vouched for 

 by Dr. Storer, was taken in 1838, off Cape Ann, and meas- 

 ured 15 feet in length. Its weight of "1,000 pounds" was un- 

 doubtedly an estimate only. 



The Pompanos. — Following closely after the members of 

 the Mackerel Family comes a large Family of deep-bodied 

 fishes, with very small and narrow scales, deeply forked tails, 

 and with the dorsal and anal fins prolonged to nearly, if not 

 quite, one-third the entire length of the fish. They are really 

 warm-water fishes, but often stray out of their regular haunts 

 into colder waters. This Family includes the amber-jack, the 

 cavallas, the moon-fishes, and several others. Of this Family 

 the following species is the best type: 



