THETARPON 85 



reckoning; but the sportsman has a different system. 

 It is good practice to mark the extreme points on the 

 board upon which the fish is laid and then measure be- 

 tween them. The girth measurement is taken where it 

 is greatest. The weight should be duly witnessed and, 

 if possible, a photograph should be taken showing the 

 fish on the scales, the angler with his guide and the 

 tackle used. The reader is referred to the form of 

 affidavit in the appendix which sets forth the essential 

 facts necessary to authenticate a catch. 



When the fish is normal in form and is not heavy 

 with roe the following formula will give the approxi- 

 mate weight nearly as accurately as the ordinary fish 

 scales : 



Girth^ (inches) x length (inches) . , , 

 ^ 800 ' = ^'^^^^- 



In June, 1921, I weighed and measured several fish 



with care. 



The following table shows a comparison of the actual 



weight with that given by the formula: 



Weight by scale. Weight by formula. 



(1) 142 pounds 137 pounds 



(2) 120 " 116 " 



(3) 92 " 91 " 



(4) 76 " 79 " 



(5) 72 " 72 " 



This table shows the ordinary working of the for- 

 mula; but I have found cases where there were ten 

 pounds difference in the result, due, no doubt, to the 

 presence of ripe roe in the fish, or abnormal develop- 

 ment. The formula, however, does not seem to work 



