a a 
No. 23. Therapon oxyrhynchus, T. & 8. (Jap. Shima-Isakt). 
Alcoholic specimen. 
No. 24. Synagris Sinensis, Lacép. (Jap. Itoyor?). 
Alcoholic specimen. 
TAI* FISHERY. 
No. 25. Pagrus tumifrons, T, & 8. (Jap. Hanaore-Dai). 
Alcoholic specimen. 
No. 26. Pagrus cardinalis, Lacép. (Jap. Kasuko-Da‘). 
Alcoholic specimen. 
Beside the species named above there are in Japan two other: 
species of the genus, viz., P. major and P. ruber ; but P. cardinalis 
the most abundant. The “ Tai,” as the Japanese call the scup, 18 
the most highly esteemed of all food-fishes, and no feast can be 
complete without it. The Jai of the market is generally from ae 
to two feet long. The price of a fresh Tai one foot in length is 
often more than a yen. The Tai is a bottom fish preferring sandy 
or muddy places. It feeds on other fishes, shell-fish, and annelids. 
In the early part of summer it migrates from the deeper to the 
shallower seas, where it spawns; and in the autumn it again seeks its 
deep water haunts. In the south-western provinces, the chief supply 
of the market-fish comes from the Inland Sea, the middle portion 
of which is a favorite spawning ground. The ai enter the sea 
through its eastern and western channels, and returning seek the 
ocean by the same route. In the north-eastern part of the 
country the spawning season is July and August. The Tai is 
found in all parts of the country, as may be seen by the accom- 
panying map showing its distribution. 
No. 27. Map showing Distribution of the Tai. 
APPARATUS FOR TAI FISHING. 
Long lines, hand lines, and several nets are used. 
No. 28. Box of Long Tai Line (with floats and wooden grapnel). 
This is used at Misaki in the province of Sagami. It is a long 
line bearing a certain number of snoods about 20 feet long. A 
section of about nineteen hundred feet of the line bearing eighty- 
eee 
* Changed into Dai for the sake of eaphony when compounded with a prefix. 
