pturus albidus_, a
fish of the swordfish family, often taken on our coast, must be
pronounced objectionable, since it is in many districts used for
various species of Belonidae, the garfishes or green-bones (_Belone
truncata_ and others), which are members of the same faunas. Spear-fish
is a much better name.

The "sailfish," _Histiophorus americanus_, is called by sailors in the
South the "boohoo" or "woohoo." This is evidently a corrupted form of
"guebum," a name, apparently of Indian origin, given to the same fish in
Brazil. It is possible that _Tetrapturus_ is also called "boohoo," since
the two genera are not sufficiently unlike to impress sailors with their
differences. Blecker states that in Sumatra the Malays call the related
species, _H. gladius_, by the name "Joohoo" (Juhu), a curious
coincidence. The names may have been carried from the Malay Archipelago
to South America, or _vice versa_, by mariners.

In Cuba the spear-fish are called "aguja" and "aguja de palada"; the
sailfish, "aguja prieta" or "aguja valadora"; _Tetrapturus albidus_
especially known as the "aguja blanca," _T. albidus_ as the "aguja de
castro."

In the West Indies and Florida the scabbard-fish or silvery hairy-tail,
_Trichiurus lepturus_, a form allied to the _Xiphias_, though not
resembling it closely in external appearance, is often called
"swordfish." The body of this fish is shaped like the blade of a saber,
and its skin has a bright, metallic luster like that of polished steel,
hence the name.

Swordfish are most abundant on the shoals near the shore and on the
banks during the months of July and August; that they make their
appearance on the frequented cruising-grounds between Montauk Point and
the eastern part of Georges Banks sometime between the 25th of May and
the 20th of June, and that they remain until the approach of cold
weather in October and November. The dates of the first fish on the
cruising-grounds referred to are recorded for three years, and are
reasonably reliable: in 1875, June 20th; in 1877, June 10th; in 1878,
June 14th.

South of the cruising-grounds the dates of arrival and departure are
doubtless farther apart, the season being shorter north and east. There
are no means of obtaining information, since the men engaged in this
fishery are the only ones likely to remember the dates when the fish are
seen.

The swordfish comes into our waters in pursuit of its food. At least
this is the most probable expla