THE SAURIES 



Family XXIII. Scombrcsocidce 



This family contains 2 genera, Scombresox, which has the 

 beak longer than rest of head, and Cololabis, with the beak about 

 half as long as head. 



The single species of Scombresox, S. saurits, is known as the 

 saury, skipper, or bluefish. It is found in temperate parts of the 

 Atlantic, on both coasts, north to Cape Cod and France. They 

 swim in schools, and are often seen in the open sea. 



When pursued by the tunny or mackerels, "multitudes 

 mount to the surface and crowd on each other as they press for- 

 ward. When still more closely pursued they spring to the 

 height of several feet, leap over each other in singular confusion, 

 and again sink beneath. Still further urged, thev mount again 

 and rush along the surface, by repeated starts, for more than 100 

 feet, without once dipping beneath, or scarcely seeming to touch 

 the water. At last the pursuer springs after them, usually across 

 their course, and again they all disappear together. Amidst such 

 multitudes — for more than 20,000 have been judged to be out of 

 the water together — some must fall a prey to the enemy; but so 

 many hunting in company, it must be long before the pursuers 

 abandon. From inspection we could scarcely judge the fish to 

 be capable of such flights, for the fms, though numerous, are 

 small, and the pectoral far from large, though the angle of their 

 articulation is well adapted to raise the fish by the direction of 

 their motions, to the surface." — Goode. 



The skipper reaches a length of 18 inches, and is a good, 

 wholesome food-fish. 



Cololabis brevirostris is found on the California coast from 

 San Francisco southward. It reaches a length of a foot or more, 

 and is used to some extent as food. 



246 



