region, where they spawn.
But then the spawning-time of this species in the Mediterranean, as is
related in a subsequent paragraph, appears to occur in the summer
months, at the very time when the swordfish are most abundant in our own
waters, apparently feeling no responsibility for the perpetuation of
their species.

The swordfish, when swimming at the surface, usually allows its dorsal
fin and the upper lobe of its caudal fin to be visible, projecting out
of the water. It is this habit which enables the fisherman to detect the
presence of the fish. It swims slowly along, and the fishing-schooner
with a light breeze finds no difficulty in overtaking it. When excited
its motions are very rapid and nervous. Swordfish are sometimes seen to
leap entirely out of the water. Early writers attributed this habit to
the tormenting presence of parasites, but this theory seems hardly
necessary, knowing what we do of its violent exertions at other times.
The pointed head, the fins of the back and abdomen snugly fitting into
grooves, the absence of ventrals, the long, lithe, muscular body,
sloping slowly to the tail, fits it for the most rapid and forceful
movement through the water. Prof. Richard Owen, testifying in an England
court in regard to its power, said:

"It strikes with the accumulated force of fifteen
double-handed hammers. Its velocity is equal to that of a
swivel shot, and is as dangerous in its effect as a heavy
artillery projectile."

Many very curious instances are on record of the encounter of this fish
with other fishes, or of their attacks upon ships. What can be the
inducement for it to attack objects so much larger than itself is hard
to surmise. We are all familiar with the couplet from Oppian:

Nature her bounty to his mouth confined,
Gave him a sword, but left unarmed his mind.

It surely seems as if temporary insanity sometimes takes possession of
the fish. It is not strange that when harpooned it should retaliate by
attacking its assailant. An old swordfisherman told Mr. Blackman that
his vessel had been struck twenty times. There are, however, many
instances of entirely unprovoked assaults on vessels at sea. Many of
these are recounted in a later portion of this memoir. Their movements
when feeding are discussed below as well as their alleged peculiarities
of movement during breeding season.

It is the universal testimony of our fishermen that two are never seen
swimmin