ACANTHOPTERYGII. 343 



garded as more or less favourable, according as they can re- 

 ceive the fish sooner or latter. 



This was the circumstance which caused the ancients to 

 attribute such long migrations to the tunnies from one sea 

 to another, but which we shall find it necessary to reduce to 

 much more limited voyages. 



Pennant tells us that the tunny frequents our coasts, but 

 not in large numbers as in the Mediterranean. They are not 

 rare in the little gulfs of the western coasts of Scotland, where 

 they pursue the herrings, and frequently tear the nets. As 

 soon as they are perceived a hook is set for them, baited with 

 a herring. The tunny, when taken, makes very little re- 

 sistance. The Scotch fishermen name them mackerel-stoiir 

 (large mackerel), derived from the Danish word stor, which 

 signifies great. In England they are named Spanish 

 mackerel. 



The tunny is in general a timid animal ; any thing extra- 

 ordinary that it meets with terrifies it. Noise produces the 

 same effect, and a hunting-horn is sometimes successfully 

 employed to drive it into the nets. 



The Thynnus pelamys is a tropical species mentioned by 

 almost all navigators under the name of bonito, and very 

 celebrated for the chase which it gives in large troops to the 

 flying-fish. It principally feeds upon them and on the 

 calamaries, but does not reject other fish. 



This species more than any other is tormented by intestinal 

 worms of various sorts. Commerson represents it as very 

 miserable in this point of view. He has found in the intes- 

 tines ascarides, and tamise, fascioli under the peritoneum, and 

 in the stomach filaria, and other species. We find similar 

 observations in the manuscripts of Solander. 



The next species which we shall briefly notice is a tunny 

 called Alalonga, in Italy, and, in the gulf of Gascony, ger- 

 mon. 



