SCOMBRID^J. 91 



In Ireland they are common round the coast, from Donegal and Antrim, down 

 the east and along the south to Kerry, but are not so abundant along the west 

 as along the east side of the island. Thompson observed in 1836 that in 

 Newcastle, county Down, they were only taken at the latter end of August, 

 while ten miles to the south they had appeared a month previously, this difference 

 being of annual occurrence. The best fishing on the north -east coast commences 

 about July. Rutty remarked that these fish arrive off Dublin in May, and 

 continue for three months. 



The ordinary size of mackerel for the table is from 14 to 16 inches in length. 

 Buckland remarked that in the spring of 1879 he received one 18 inches long, 

 and which weighed 2 lb. 11 oz. Mr. Cornish recorded one from Penzance 18 

 inches long, and 2 lb. 8 oz. in weight (Zoologist, 1876, p. 4931). Yarrell mentions 

 one of 2h lb. taken at Poulton, in November, 1849, and an example 2 oz. more 

 caught off Hastings in 1856. 



2. Scomber colias, Plate XXXIV. 



KoXiac, Arist. Hist. Anim. v, 9, viii, 13, ix, 2; Athen. iii, 118, 120, vii, 321. 



? Colias, Pliny, xxxii, c. 11 ; Belon. p. 202 ; Rondel, viii, c. 8, p. 235, c. fig. ; 

 Salv. f. 242 ; Gesner, Aquat. p. 256 ; Aldrov. Pise. p. 274; Jonston, lib. i, tit. iii, 

 c. 3, punct. 6, p. 97. t. xxi, f. 11 ; Willugh. Ich. p. 182. Colias RondeleUi, Ray, 

 p. 59. 



Scomber colias, Gmel. Linn. p. 1329 ; Bl. Schn. p. 22 ; Lacep. iii, pp. 39, 40 ; 

 Shaw, Zool. iv, p. 580; Turton, p. 100; Risso, Ich. Nice, p. 171, and Europ. 

 Merid. iii, p. 413; Cuv. and Val. viii, p. 39, pi. ccix ; Yarrell, Brit. Fish. (Ed. 1) 

 i, p. 131, c. fig. (Ed. 2) i, p. 148 (Ed. 3) ii, p. 204 ; Storer, Fish. Mass. p. 45 ; 

 De Kay, New York Fauna, Fish. p. 104, pi. xi, f. 33; Lowe, Pro. Zool. Soc. 1850, 

 p. 248 ; White, Cafcal. Brit. Fish. p. 30 ; Giinther, Catal. ii, p. 361 ; Stemd. S. B. 

 Ak. Wien. lxxii, 1876, p. 81, and Ich. Span. u. Port. 1868, p. 2. 



Scomber maculatus. Couch, Mag. Nat. Hist, v, p. 22, f. 8 (not Forster MSS.) ; 

 Jenyns, Manual, p. 361 ; White, Catal. p. 30 ; Thompson, Ann. Nat. Hist, vii, p. 

 479, and Nat. Hist. Ireland, iv, p. 93. 



Scomber diego, Ayres, Proc. Calif. Acad. Nat. Sc. i, 1857, p. 92. 



Spanish mackarel, Couch, Fish. Brit. Isles, ii, p. 78, pi. lxxx. 



B. vii, D 7Mrf V-VI, P. 21, V. 1/5, A. J T +V-VI, C. 21. 



Length of head 4 to 4^, of caudal fin 6 to 6, height of body 4| to 5-J- in 

 the total length. The thickness of the body equals about 2/3 of its height. 

 Eye diameter 3^ in the length of the head, 1 diameter from the end of the 

 snout, and 1 ajDart. The posterior adipose eyelid passes over the hind quarter 

 of the pupil, and crossing the lower edge of the anterior lid is inserted into 

 the suborbital ring of bones : the anterior lid does not reach so far as the pupil. 

 Teeth in the jaws in a single row : fine ones on the vomer and palatines, but 

 none on the tongue. Fins first dorsal rather high, its longest spine equalling 

 the length of the interspace between the two dorsal fins. Pectoral about half as 

 long as the head. Scales those in the pectoral region are larger than the others 

 on the body, where although they form a species of corselet, it is not so distinct 

 as in some of the tunnies. Air-bladder present. Colours somewhat similar to 

 what are observed in the common mackerel, more especially in its spotted variety, 

 except that the lines which cross its back are usually less numerous. The dark 

 colour of the back is continued below the lateral-line, so as to include almost the 

 entire upper half of the body, while the abdomen has numerous large round or 

 vertical blotches irregularly dispersed over it. A black shoulder spot extends 

 to the base of the pectoral fin. 



Varieties. Scomber pnenmato'phorus, De la Roche, Ann. Mus. 1809, t. xiii, p. 334, 

 Mem. p. 48 ; Cuv. and Yal. viii, p. 36 ; Guichen. Explor. Alger, p. 56 ; Giinther, 

 Catal. ii, p. 359, is considered by Steindachner, and other excellent observers, to 

 be a variety of this fish, which, if so, would possess from 7 to 10 dorsal spines 

 and 1 1 or 12 dorsal ravs. Personallv I have not sufficient materials to examine 



