356 FISHES. 



shores. In it we find the beginnings of the breastplate 



of large scales more characteristic of the bonitoes. In 



Spanisli colour, it resembles the common species, being, 



or Coly however, distinguished by the blotches on the 



Mackerel, ^nderparts. As its appearances on our shores 



are irregular, and its flesh deteriorates even more rapidly 



than that of the other, it is of no commercial importance. 



[The Plain Bonito is another straggler to our seas. It 

 has the scaly breastplate more conspicuous than in the 

 last.] 



The most important fish in the Mediterranean, the Tunny 

 is of irregular occurrence on our coasts, though not uncom- 

 mon as far north as the western lochs of Scot- 

 ^^^^* land,^ where it is known as the "Mackrelsture." 

 Tunnies of 9 feet in length and 900 lbs. in weight have 

 been captured in British waters; but the fish grows to 

 twice the size in the Mediterranean. I have seen them 

 in the market at Naples weighing probably 1000 lbs. 

 Tunny is a favourite article of food with the Italians; 

 and I was regaled with it in one form or another every 

 day without fail for over three months, the least disagree- 

 able way of serving it being as a roast with green peas, the 

 least agreeable being when soused in olive oil and sent to 

 table in a dish that has been first rubbed with a head of 

 garlic. In colour, the tunny is very deep blue, lighter on 

 the scaly breastplate. The tail is well keeled. 



In the Albicorc, otherwise Long-finned Tunny, we have 

 a smaller fish, distinguished by the great length of the 

 pointed pectoral fins, which, in examples of 

 large size, may exceed one-third the length of 

 the fish. It is this fish that ocean travellers observe over 

 the bow of steamers or in the wake of sailing ships, gener- 

 ally harassing the flying-fish. I have watched them (some 



1 Harvie-Browu and Buckley, Fauna of tlie Outer Hebrides, p. 188. 



