Museum Notes

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22305, 20 January 1938, Page 2 (Supplement)

Museum Notes

BIG GAME FISH

(By R. A. Falla)

Frequent reports at the present only to our coasts. Three kinds of time of big-game fishermen having sword-fish have been caught here, caught sword-fish on the well- the true, sword-fish or the Broadknown fishing grounds at the Bay bill being the least plentiful, of Islands and the Bay of Plenty The Striped Marlin, of which indicate that the present season is there is a good specimen in the one of the best yet recorded and Canterbury Museum, is the one this may be ascribed to the most frequently taken. Specimens

unusually high temperatures of the sea. Sword-fish, large sharks, and others are inhabitants of the wanner waters of the world and for the most part are summer visitors

weigh from 200 to 400 pounds, and, whatever their size, are said to put , up a strenuous fight before they can be taken. A glance at the streamlined body shows that they ;

are perfectly adapted for travelling at high speed beneath the surface and from the tip of the pointed spear to the narrow tail there is no unnecessary obstruction to their passage through the water. Even the long fins fold back into grooves in the body when the fish is darting along at its maximum speed. It is not surprising, therefore, that sword-fish have been known to pierce the wood-work of boats sometimes to a depth of several inches. It is unlikely that swordfish go out of their way to attack boats or, indeed, anything of large size in the water.

Their food consists of smaller surface fish through shoals of which the sword-fish charges, wounding and maiming victims which they, subsequently return to pick up. .