SYSTEMATIC CATALOGUE OF FISHES. 



353 



regularly as far north as Massachusetts and on the Pacific coast to San Francisco. 

 It also inhabits the Mediterranean, and along the shores of western Europe is 

 not uncommon, the writer having seen stranded specimens in Norway beyond 

 the Arctic Circle. The species is usually seen floating or swimming at the surface 

 with the dorsal fin out of the water; and it may be easily approached and 

 harpooned. The fish is probably more common off the east coast of Florida than 

 elsewhere, but is not rare in southern Massachusetts; in Vineyard Sound 8 or 10 

 large ones have sometimes been observed in a single summer. 



Fig. 160. Sun-fish. Mola mola. 



The North Carolina records are few, as follows : A specimen now in the 

 National Museum (no. 41002) was taken at Cape Lookout in 1889 by William H. 

 Gaskill, of the life-saving station at that place. Another specimen, 24 inches 

 long and 15 inches wide, was found dead on the beach at Cape Lookout about 

 March 15, 1904, by James Willis and was presented by him to the laboratory at 

 Beaufort. The third example likewise was taken at Cape Lookout, and was one 

 of the largest recorded; it was harpooned by fishermen in May, 1904, and taken 

 ashore in the "bight" of the_cape; it was 8 feet long, and was estimated by the 

 fishermen to weigh 1,000 pounds. 



