Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-08-19
SPORT WITH SEA FALCONS.
Natives OF Porio Rico Use Trained Re-
morns for Fishing.


Porto Rico has devised a new method of
fishing that Will prove interesting to sports
men. The fishermen in many localities are
using trained remoras for fishing. These
queer creatures are regular falcons of the
sea. and their captors use them very much
the same falcons were used in the mid
die centuries. They are fierce. swift crea-
tufcs that can make better time than any
other fish in the southern waters. and they
are quite plentiful around Porto Rico.
Their bodies are ecl-shaped, but with
pc uliar head over which skin like bag
is drawn. This baggy skin is drawn up
tigh, To the body at Will so that it offers no
resistance to the water when swimming,
and it can be spread out that it makes
a wide fiat surface. This surface is full of
little suckers, which enable the fish to
STICK 10 an object with the tenacity of a
bulldog.
The nature Of the remora is TO attach
Itself Ia hard. HAT surfaces to secure its
f., q. II has learned that by attaching it.
Sc 10 large fishes just near the mouth. it
can pick UP Il good living without making
ans eNertion. When a shark secures its
Tlty The parasitic Tenrra secures all the
small pieces before they can De gubbled up
b its host " hen il once attaches itself
To The shark or whale il cannot De loosened
by The big creature, and il steals d ride
III. sugn the water until ii Is ready to seek
a. Their host. In its wild life in the the
sharks AVOID its presence and seek to Kill it
whenever the two come together, but the
re.-.uIa is too quick for its antagonist and
Is rarely caught
The Iemufa is frequently found four and
FIVE feet in length and is Of great service to
the native fishermen They are caught by
the Porto Ricans i'll various ways. Some
times they Will attach themselves to the
bottom OF the small boats and by dropping
overheard little food for them they can be
induced To remain there until the boat
reaches shoal water, Then the fishermen
suddenly jump into the water and turn the
bet over en- its SIDE and before the fish
can Getach itself they grab il. When it
finds itself caught the remcra refuses to
yield UU its hold the bottom of the
boat. and no amount Of pulling can break
Its hold when jerked straight up. But the
fishermen have found that by few side
twists the suckers can be lifted with ease.
When taken off the bottom of the boat the
captured hsh is put in a tank of water.
where il is fed and cared for. In time it
1eerDS not 10 be afraid Of It's captOrs. But
II must go tn; JUgh a serious ordeal that
tres its friendship 10 ii degree. \ small
II ring IS fastened into its tai near the
ed This is Il painful but not serious oper-
alton. Ii takes Two weeks for the wound
thus made 10 heal up. Bun at the end of
that time the fish RECEIVERS some of its
ir1cndlineSs for It's captor who has daily fed
II. When the irtu ring has been in the tail
for couple OF months the first training of
the fish is attempted.
i;y this time il does not hurt the fish to
pull on the ring and it can be lifted IN bv
it \ light but very strong braided cord is
fastened into the ring, and the ren,ora is
taken t. the sstr;s..,s srounss .oi its nrst
80 IL = attach itself 10 the bottom of
the boat. and ii net has been arranged I'M
der the boat TO prevent this. Tie renora
has been fed very sparingly for a week or
two before it Is given its first lesson, and it