Bluefish

Bluefish (Pomatomus saltatrix or Temnodon saltator), a fish of the family Scomeridæ, of a genus having no detached finlets, no isolated dorsal spines, and no lateral armature of the tail, two dorsal fins, the first of which is small, and two deeply-hidden spines in front of the anal fin. The only known species is abundant on the east coast of North America. It goes southwards in winter, migrates northwards in spring, and is widely spread in tropical and subtropical seas. The upper parts are of a bluish colour, the lower parts whitish, a large black spot at the base of the pectoral fins. The mouth is crowded with teeth, the jaws are furnished with large ones. The bluefish preys on other fishes, such as the menhaden, and mackerel, the shoals of which it pursues. It is very swift, strong, and voracious. It sometimes attains a length of 3, or even 5 feet, and a weight of 14 lb. It is much esteemed for the table. It is often caught by trolling, as it bites readily at an object drawn swiftly through the water. It frequently ascends rivers even to fresh water.