ESPERANZA TO CAYO HUT I A 51 



As to the picoua danger, not much can be 

 said beyond mentioning the general fear of this 

 aggressive fish. He resembles a huge pickerel or 

 muskalonge with protruding jaw armed with very- 

 long sharp teeth. He prefers rocky places about 

 the reefs, especially in the deeper passes, where, 

 lying motionless near the bottom, he darts at his 

 prey with a swiftness that baffles the eye. His 

 sinister appearance, astonishing quickness, and 

 occasional habit of ranging the waters in schools, 

 like squadrons of submarine destroyers, have 

 combined to give him a bad name. This is the 

 "barracouta" {Sphyrana barracuda) of Florida 

 and Bermuda, a well-known game fish. The 

 maximum length is about six feet. As a matter of 

 fact we feared these far more than the sharks. 



Promptly at seven a field party started in the 

 launch for Cayo Arenas to make a more thorough 

 exploration for Cerions and to study the abundant 

 bird life there. Torre, Lesmes, and some of the 

 crew went ashore for final marketing. At noon all 

 were mustered aboard and preparations for sailing 

 began. 



A fine northeast breeze sprung up in the early 

 afternoon. At three we were under way, the 



