ACANTHOPTERYGII. 335 



garded with attention, it presents differences which would 

 suffice to characterize it, even independently of the considera- 

 tion of its interior structure. 



This species is common upon the coasts of the Balearic 

 Islands. It lives in troops near the shore. At Ivic^, it is 

 known by the name of cavallo. 



Besides this first small species with natatory bladder, there 

 is another larger one in the Mediterranean {scomber colias), 

 which perhaps may be only the same in a more advanced age, 

 though, nevertheless, it appears to present some characters 

 tolerably marked. 



M. Risso considers this as the scomber colias of Gmelin, 

 and the same which is called at Nice cavaluco. It is to be 

 recognized by certain brownish marks in the abdomen. Its 

 weight scarcely amounts to four pounds, and its flesh is 

 whitish, but much inferior to that of the common mackerel. 



The genus of the Tunny (Thynnus) which also compre- 

 hends the thunninse, the orcynus or germon, and the bonitoes 

 with striped belly, differs from that of the mackerel by a re- 

 markable disposition of the scales of the thorax, which are 

 larger and duller in colour than the others, and form around 

 this part of the trunk a sort of corslet which is divided behind 

 into many points. There are also other characteristic dif- 

 ferences indicated in the text. 



The common tunny (scomber thynnus, Lin.) as large and 

 beautiful as it is useful and agreeable. 



The tunny is one of the largest sea-fishes. Aristotle 

 speaks of an old individual which weighed fifteen talents, or 

 twelve hundred pounds, and which measured two cubits and 

 a palm from one point to the other of the caudal fin. This 

 measure too, is a correction of Gaza in his first editions, and 

 after Pliny. The majority of the manuscripts of Aristotle 

 say five cubits, and Hardouin, always prone to paradox, be- 

 lieved that it was Pliny who ought to have been corrected. 



