FISHES OF THE NORTHERN COAST OF NEW JERSEY. 
371 
16. Sarda sarda (Bloch). Bonito ; Bonejack ; B one- eater ; Skipjack. 
While a common fish on the New Jersey coast, the bonito is of irregular occurrence. 
It usually arrives in May and is found in the inshore waters till the latter part of 
September, when it leaves with the bluefish and Spanish mackerel. In 1892 a few 
fish were taken as early as April 28, and good lifts were made in October. The largest 
quantities are taken in pound nets, but occasionally good catches are made with gill 
nets, especially in the fall, when the fish are running south and are close inshore. The 
usual number secured in a pound net is only three or four at a lift, but sometimes 
schools of 200 or 300 fish “strike on” at a particular place and are caught, while only 
stragglers will be taken in any other locality on that day. The fish have the habit of 
splashing the water, like bluefish and Spanish mackerel; at times they were observed 
very near, and even in, the line of breakers and then created much visible and audible 
commotion. On August 21, 1892, small schools were noticed close inshore off Ocean 
Grove and a few examples were caught by trolling from small sailing skiffs. They 
are also occasionally taken from the piers at Ocean Grove, Long Branch, and other 
places. 
The variations in the abundance of the fish are shown, by months, in the following 
table, which represents the catch of one pound net in 1891 and two nets in 1892, set 
off Monmouth County, in the middle of the pound-net section : 
Months. 
1891. 
1892. 
Pounds. 
Pounds. 
OO 
May 
8 
June 
3, 315 
410 
July 
4, 355 
4 
August 
1,497 
3,736 
September 
98 
122 
October 
409 
Total 
9, 273 
4, 709 
The smallest example observed was taken in a pound net at Ocean Grove on 
July 11, 1892; it was 8 inches long and was the only one taken at that lift of the 
net. Five pounds is the average weight of the fish caught. 
17. Gymnosarda alletterata (Rafinesgue). Apple-core; Albacore. 
Rather scarce in pound nets in summer. The few caught weigh 6 or 8 pounds. 
Small quantities are also taken with lines while fishing for bluefish and sea bass. 
Mr. Barton A. Bean, of the U. S. National Museum, communicates the following note 
on this fish to the issue of Forest and Stream for December 22, 1892 : 
Mr. W. C. KencLall tells us of the movements of a very large school of tunny or little horse-mackerel 
off Barnegat. Last summer (about July 27) as the Fish Commission schooner Grampus was cruising 
along slowly, these fish made their appearance and surrounded the vessel. The school was a mile 
or more in diameter and consisted of fish about 3 feet in length. They schooled close up together, 
similar to the common mackerel. Ordinarily they would merely flirt their tails out of the water, but 
at other times they would, leap clear out ; then again they would swim alongside the schooner quietly, 
scarcely making a ripple. The boat was sailing very slowly. Lines were gotten out and an effort 
made to catch some of the tunnies, hut without success. A white rag was the only lure offered them. 
