The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-07-01
FERoc1TY OF TIE 1,LUEFIsH.

| ZINE.
FERoCITY OF THE DLUEFISH.
Dcnizens of the Sea AZ Cruel as tn,
| Sharks.
| From the. New York Tribune)
At this season of the year the blue
| fish is practically without a rival in the
market. Shad disappeared month ago
Cod are both poor and scarce. Halibut
one OF the great staples OF the winter
trade in fish. are also scarce at the pres
ent time OF cou,Ee. one can find an &C.
casional seabass. sheepshead, and founder,
snd ct times msckerei are plentiful. And
| there are fair number Of Holsters, crabs,
and clans. But the fish which in album
| dance and popularity just now stands at
the head of the list is the bluefish. and I'm
less something unforeseen happens it will
hold that place all summer.
The opinions which are current regard
ing the bluefsh are usually formed in one
Of two ways. long and pleasant &C
quaintance may be based on experience al
only limited insight into the subject
Again, a man may with wet and abraded
fingers haul in a five or six FOUNDER until
the latter is within dozen feet of the boat
and then see the agile and glistening crea-
ture jump out OF the water. throw the hook
from its mouth and return to the shades
Of private life. II line that has fisher
nan at one end and a bluehsh at the 9TH
er is not pulled in rapidly enough to stay
taut the consequences just suggested are
likely to ensue, and vidid but exasperat-
ing exhibition of a bluefsh's pluck and
agility will be afforded. After all, though,
nothing like symmetrical and complete
estimate OF the character of bluefsh can
be reached without an intimate knowledge
OF his private habits.
In spite OF the favor with which this
beautiful and spirited creature is sc -e;a ly
regarded those who have had coed ch1nce
to study him tell awful tales of his feroc-
ity. The pike and shark enjoy rather IN
desirable regulations in this respect. But
rigid and strictly judicial Investigation
Of the facts warrants a suspicion that the
bluefish outranks them both in sheer cru
city. Sharks are greedy and unpli &c p ed
enough, heaven knows. But it can a L asst
be said in their behalf that they eat what
they kill. and are not given TO aug Ier
out of pure "cussedness." Tee bluetish. on
the contrary, Stays just for the fun of the
thing. When he overtakes school OF men,
haden he attacks one after another in rapid
succession. Some of them he swallows
whole. Others ne merely lacerates. TIE
b
! square meal only fifteen minutes before
put no restraint on his mUrd rous propen-
gities He snaps ct the neares. mGssb nix
or, takes a small moIsel out OF his uafor-
tunate victim, ard leaves the III ngled re-
mains floating In the water for The s.
guils. TIE latter haunt tae neignb -rhood
OF band Of marauding bluefsh on This
account, and thus give to the p-actlcsd
fisherman free tip regarding the whe. E.
abouts OF his prey.
The gull is a side issue, though. The (
main question is the fish ard lis ext. "a
rapacity. There is Iiuit, to be
sure, to the capacity of a bluefsh's st5m-
ach And when that organ is flied he can't
well stow away anything more there. All
the same, ne goes on playing HeTod with
the innocents that come within his reach.
The finding OF remnants of meaha len aid
other small fish in the water near a scLo1l
Of blue fish has given rise to the notion
that. after having eaten all he can &C
the latter will disgJrge, PEE
paratory to fresh onslaughts. But CON-
siderable doubt attaohesNto the theory. 1t
seems to be merely an inference from tn,
lebris found In the water near school
1f bluefsh No one reports having w.t.
lessed the election OF food from q fsh's
mouth.
The number OF bluefsh taken off the
Jersey and Long Island coasts during a
ingle season has been put by a writer in
he Fishing Gazette" at 100000. and he
makes this only l per cent of the total
lumber swarming in these waters. He
hen expresses the opinion that no less
han $500 0O0. 600 pounds OF menhaden are
aten by bluefsh daily. or about two and
half pounds TO a bluefsh II these fig
res are even approximately correct the
luefish eats from quarter to half his
wn weight in the course of twenty-four
ours 1t is impossible to find parallel
Or this voracity among land carnivor-.
fore than dozen mossbunkers have been
ound in the stomach of bluefish. But
n the theory that he ate only ten day
uring season OF 12o days the whole
iIion of bluefish of the coast would get
way with an appalling number of menha-
en- in season OF four months. Such
alculation emphasizes not only the de- ,
of the bluefish. but also the
stonishing fecundity of its victims. whicn
an endure that kind OF havoc without any
pparent dininution.
They 90 say, however that the bluefsh ,
i'll seek to avenge himself or his human
nemy if the opportunity offers. Not only
ill he bite fercely while being removed
ON a fshhook. but he will actually attack
man in the water. II the following uar-
tive mad originated Win nSherUlan
light be excused for entertaining mis- ,
wings Rs to its truthfulness, but the mar
.tor is a submarine diver, and who ever
rev submarine diver to depart further
ian did George Washington from strict
cts? So there is no discounting this
ory Once upon time. says the diver,
g was entirely submerged. and was en- 4
aged in adjusting some hosting appara-
IS to a sunken wreck. Along came n big
uefsh. which In n spirit OF pure devil
Y snapped at the mans bare hand. Its
eth came together Ike the jaws OF +
iIway conductors punch on commu- I
RS ticket. The diver tried to withdraw a
lie imprisoned member. but in doing SO 8
ansled 1t sadly. 1t thus appears that A
bluefsh does not confine his mercilcss @
tentions to mcssbunkers and SUCH and II
Is no reverence for the gifted creature C
hich stands at the head OF the animal b
cation. man cannot be too careful. a
erefore. about controlling the conditions I
lder which he meets this bloodthirsty C
nizen of the deep. a
MONSTER DEVIL FISH
'.troying It's victim. is type OF constipation. Il
Vnff lt lodi l. N.1t