B8B Mr. Couch on the Natural History 



Gasterosteus. 



Pilotfish. G. Ductor. — ^Two of this species a few years since 

 accompanied a ship from the Mediterranean into Falmouth, 

 and were taken in a net. 



Scomber. 



§ With Finlets distinct. 



Mackerel. S. Scomber. — This fish is taken on the Cornish coasts 

 for nine months in the year. They have been brought to Ply- 

 mouth so early as the fifteenth of March ; and I have known 

 numbers taken so late as the twentieth of December ; those 

 which were caught at this late period appeared to be of the 

 same growth as those which come early in the spring. The 

 females retire long before the males, perhaps to cast their 



spawn. 



§^ With Finlets united. 



Scad. S. Trachurus. — ^l^his species does not visit us so early as 

 the Mackerel, nor do they unite into such considerable 

 bodies ; but it is common through the summer. 



Albacore. S.glaucus. — I believe this fish is not uncommon in 

 the summer ; but keeping at a distance from the shore, and 

 seldom taking a bait, it is but rarely taken. 



MULLUS. 



Striped Surmullet. M. Surmuletus. — This is a migratory fish, 

 and usually reaches the Cornish shores about midsummer. 

 Its common habit is to keep close to the ground ; but the 

 migration seems to be performed near the surface, since it 

 is not uncommonly taken in nets spread for Mackerel, which 

 are very shallow, at twenty leagues from land, at the season 

 when they are drawing near the shore. 



Trigla. 



