82 DOTTED MACKARKL. 



groove tliat received it longer than in the other Mackarcl. 

 Lateral line remarkably and irregularly bent. First dorsal fin 

 with twelve rays, the first longest; second dorsal with eleven 

 rays, the terminal rays extended to overlap the first finlet; 

 the space between the dorsal fins a little longer than the first 

 dorsal; pectoral fin with twenty rays; a spine in front of the 

 anal; five finlets above and below. Tail rather more slender 

 than in the Common INlackarcl, and in the attenuated portion 

 of the body, close before the caudal fin, depressed and square. 

 But the most remarkable distinction between this and the 

 other British species of Mackarel was in the colour, which 

 was a uniform dark neutral tint over the head and back, 

 without any bands or variegations, it might be termed an 

 olive bluish green, with green reflections at the sides; and 

 from before the eyes, along the back and sides to the tail, 

 the surface was thickly covered with spots of the size of a 

 small pea, generally round and well defined, but a little larger, 

 and elongated transversely on the summit of the back. The 

 spots ended a little below the lateral line, and the belly was 

 pure white; the surface between the carinatious of the tail a 

 bronzed yellow colour. A membranous process united the fifth 

 ray of the first dorsal fin with the skin of the back; but this 

 may not be a permanent character. I found this specimen a 

 female, large with roe, and destitute of a swimming-bladder, 

 as is also our Common Mackarel, and I believe also the S. 

 colias, or Spanish Mackarel; and this observation becomes 

 important when we keep in mind that Sir John Richardson 

 has made the mistake of quoting my authority as if it had 

 possessed that organ; and also that there is a species, not 

 uncommon in the Mediterranean, which is only to be definitely 

 distinguished from the Common Mackarel by being supplied 

 with it. 



Having obtained a figure, of the size of nature, with 



a 



description, I sent this fish with a copy of the drawing to 

 Mr. Yarrell, in order to obtain his opinion with regard to its 

 identity with any known species; and a portion of his reply 

 is here given: "On comparing the preserved skin of our fish 

 with your representation I observe some points of distinction, 

 which, though slight, may increase the amount of differences. 

 Your fish appears to be less deep in proportion to its whole 



