FOREST, FISH AND GAME COMMISSION. 407 



Hole and often abundant at the mouth of Vineyard Sound. It occurs in those 

 waters in July, August and September. It is caught in traps at Menemsha, and has 

 also been seined at West Falmouth, on Buzzards Bay. In August the Thresher 

 Shark may frequently be seen among the schools of Half Beaks near Gay Head. 

 When the sharks are driving the fish and causing them to skip out of the water, 

 the Jregers catch them with great dexterity. The Half Beak is rather a rare fish in 

 New York waters. It is noticeable because the lower jaw is many times as long as 

 the upper jaw, and has at its extremity a bright crimson tip. Small examples were 

 found at Fire Island. In August and September, 1898, it occurred in small num- 

 bers in Great South Bay. Only one adult was taken and no very young were seen. 

 In 1901 an individual g^/^ inches long was taken at Whale House Hole. 



The Half Beak in its movements resembles the Silver Gar. It is easily caught 

 at night by meano of a lantern, the light apparently dazing the fish and making it 

 indifferent to the net. 



82. Longbeak i^EiileptorJiampJius velox Poey). 



The Longbeak is a West Indian fish which rarely strays northward in the Gulf 

 Stream as far as Massachusetts. It reaches the length of 18 inches. 



Putnam considered it the same as the East Indian species, longh-ostris, but this 

 lacks demonstration. 



In this fish the beak forms one-fourth of the total length, and it is very slender. 



Family SCOMBERESOCIDiE. Sauries. 



83. Saury ; Skipper {Scombcresox sattrns Walbaum). 



The Saury was known to DeKay as Billfish. He states that the fish appears in 

 immense numbers in October on the coast of Massachusetts, where it is considered 

 a verj^ nutritious and grateful food. He says also that a few stragglers are occasion- 

 ally taken on the coast of New York. 



The Saury, or Skip Jack, is ver):' rare at Woods Hole. Prof. Baird recorded it 

 in 1 87 1 ; since then it has been observed only a few times. Several specimens were 

 obtained there prior to 1880. On December 4, 1885, one was seen on the beach 

 near Nobska Point. Dr. Smith, from whose records these notes are taken, states 

 that it is very abundant on the northern side of Cape Cod late in fall, and hundreds 

 of barrels are sometimes taken there in traps ; many also go ashore. 



