62 
PACIFIC SCIENCE, Vol. XII, January, 1958 
proaches the incredible. During the Michael 
Lerner Australian-New Zealand Expedition, 
Miles Conrad reported seeing a marlin with 
the spear sawed off, and yet the fish had 
survived. The spear had been removed by a 
square cut about midway between the tip of 
the lower jaw and the anterior edge of the 
eyes — the point generally selected for sawing 
off a spear trophy. The fish had evidently 
been caught by an angler, and, when the spear 
had been removed, had escaped to the ocean. 
The growth of skin that had formed over the 
stub still retained the rosy glow of healthy 
healing. The fish was reported to be thinner 
than a normal fish of its size. Without doubt 
a fish so injured as to leave the upper half of 
its mouth permanently open with but half an 
upper jaw would be seriously handicapped in 
feeding. The previously cited injuries had at 
least left the fish with mouths somewhat 
suited for grasping and holding prey. 
As stated by Morrow {op. at.), "It is obvious 
the spear is not absolutely essential to the 
well being of the spearfishes.” The four speci- 
mens under the immediate cognizance of the 
author, as well as those reported by Moore, 
Morrow, Brock, and Gudger, had apparently 
existed in normal fashion despite the loss of 
the spear. None of those taken on sporting 
tackle had given any marked indication of 
weakness, or other abnormal behavior at- 
tributable to loss of the spear, while striking 
the trolled bait or during the ensuing battle. 
RECORDED FEEDING AND BAIT-SEIZING 
HABITS 
The fact that marlins can exist reasonably 
well without their spears reopens the question 
of how spearfish feed. Many anglers and 
authors of books on angling for the large 
game fishes have given accounts of spearfishes 
stunning their prey and trolled fish baits with 
a slashing blow, before turning to devour 
them. The angling methods for these fish 
have long involved a slack line arrangement 
to allow the bait to lie "dead” in the water 
following the initial rush or strike of the fish. 
