436 
KAMAKICHI KLSHINOUYE : 
thick, and the distal portion of these ribs is broad, thin, and gradually narrow. 
The part between the head and the broad distal portion is very narrow to 
admit the passage of the cutaneonus blood-vessels. 
The colour is blackish blue in the dorsal part, with a greenish lustre 
near the tail. Sides and belly are silvery. In young specimens, ca 60 
cm in length, we find some five or sis dark, irregularly longitudinal bands, 
running near the ventral median line. These bands are more distinct at the 
caudal region, and are more or less united in the form of irregular net-work. 
First dorsal nearly colourless, except the dusky border. Pectorals black, 
ventrals and the second dorsal are dusky, but the anal is nearly colourless. 
The dorsal finlets are dusky, washed with yellow, while the ventral finlets are 
more or less dusky. Iris silvery, tinted with light blue. 
This species is rather small, a germon of ca 25 kg is rather rare and 
large. In southern California 8 kg fishes are said to be common, a fish 
weighing 20 kg is considered large. In Japanese and Hawaiian waters, fishes 
of ca 45 kg are said to be nearly maximum and rare. 
Very widely distributed in both the north and south Pacific. Caught in 
large quantities on the Pacific coast of Hondo, but not yet found in the Japan 
Sea. Found in off-shore grounds only, never approaching the coast. This 
species is caught in our waters till about 43° N, off the south coast of Hokkaido- 
In spring the germon begins to migrate northward. In this northerly migra, 
tion the germon precedes the striped bonito, but follows our common tunny 
(Thunnus orientalis). In winter the germon is found in the southern part 
of our waters, about 34° N. Found in water of 10-25° C in temperature, and 
at a depth of about 89 m. 
Germon or the albacore seems to have been caught in our waters since 
the loginning of the nineteenth century, as its name is first found in the 
literature of a very early period of that century. In former days the germon 
Avas caught unintentionally, Avliile engaged in fishing for the common tunny or 
other kinds of fish, and was not valued, as its flesh is soft, but recently a 
special long-line has been used for its capture. Caught chiefly by means of 
long fines and drift-nets. 
Flesh pinkish in colour, soft, and not good for “ sashimi ”, hence not much 
esteemed in our country, but the amount of flesh is comparatively large. The 
