250 aca:nthoptertgii. 



Family, XIX— SCOMBRID^, Cuv. 



Branchiostegals seven or eight : pseudobranchise. Body oblong or slightly elongated and compressed. 

 Gill-openings wide : eyes lateral. The infraorbital bones do not articulate with the preopercle. Teeth present 

 in the jaws, absent or present on the palate. Two dorsal fins, the first being distinct from the soft, which 

 has more rays than the first has spines : finlets present or absent : ventrals thoracic (jugular in Einn^iptero) -. 

 no prominent papilla near the vent. Side of tail sometimes keeled Scales, if present, small. Air-vessel 

 present or absent. Pyloric appendages moderate, numerous, or dendritical. Vertebrae exceed 10,14. 



SYNOPSIS OF GENERA. 



1. Scomber. Teetli small, present in jaws. Five or six finlets : a low ridge on either side of base of tail. 

 Body equally scaled. Red Sea, through those of India to the Malay Archipelago and beyond, also in most 

 temperate and tropical seas. 



2. Thynnus. Teeth small, present in jaws, vomer, and palate. Six to nine finlets : a central keel along 

 either side of free portion of tail. Scales in the anterior region of the body forming a corselet. Red Sea, 

 through those of India to the Malay Archipelago ; also in most open temperate and tropical seas. 



3. Cyhium. Teeth large in jaws, small on vomer and palate. Seven to ten finlets : a central keel along 

 either side of free portion of tail. Scales when present rudimentary. Red Sea, seas of India to the Malay 

 Archipelago ; also in the Atlantic. 



4. Elacate.* No finlets. First dorsal fin as free spines. A low keel along either side of free portion of 

 the tail. Red Sea, seas of India to the Malay Archipelago ; also in troj^ical parts of the Atlantic. 



5. Eeheneis.'f No finlets. First dorsal in the form of a sucking disk on the summit of the head. No 

 keel on side of tail. Found in most seas. 



Genus, 1 — Scomber, Artedi. 



Branchiostegals seven : pseiidobranchice. Body rather elongated and compressed. Eyes with adipose lids. 

 Cleft of mouth deep. Small deciduous teetli on the jaws; deciduous ones present or absent on flee vomer, and palatine 

 hones. Two dorsal fins, the first sjnnous and separated by an interspace from the second, behind which and also 

 posterior to the anal are five or six finlets : less spines in the first dorsal than there are rays in the second dorsal or in 

 the anal : ventrals thoracic. Two slight heels on either side of the root of the caudal fin. Scales small. Air-vessel, 

 when present, simple. Pyloric appendages numerous. 



Although the young of the Cybimn, Elacate, &c. are common all along the coasts of India, I have never 

 obtained tlie fry of any species of Scomber. Sars has observed that the Mackerel deposits its ova in the open 

 sea, where it floats near the surface (sec Aim. and Mag. Nat. Hist. 18G8, ii, p. 390). 



Geograpihical distribution. — Red Sea, seas of India to the Malay Archipelago and beyond ; also in most 

 temperate and tropical seas. 



SYNOPSIS OP SPECIES. 



1. Scomber microlepidotus, D. 10 | Jj- -|- v-vi, A. Jy -f v-vi. Length of head 3f to 4j, height of body 4 to 

 4f in the total length. A black spot covered by the pectoral fin in the young, bands along the back and sides 

 in the adult. Red Sea, through those of India to the Malay Archipelago. 



2. Scomber hracltysoma, D. 10 | Jy + v, A. yL + v. Length of head 3f , height of body 3| in the total 

 length. Andamans to the Malay Archipelago. 



1. Scomber microlepidotus, Plate LIV, fig. 3 (young), 4 (immature), and 5 (adult). 



Riipp. N. W. Fisclie, p. 3S, t. xi, f. 2 ; Cantor, Catal. p. 105 ; Giinther, Catal. ii, p. 361 ; Kner, Novara 

 Fische, p. 143 ; Steind. Ak. Wiss. Wien, 1868, Ivii, p. 987 ; Klunz. Verb. z. b. Ges. Wicn, 1871, p. 443. 



Scomber hanagurta, Russell, Fish. Vizag. ii, p. 28, pi. 136; Riipp. Atl. Fische, p. 93, and N. W. Fische, 

 p. 37 ; Cuv. and Val. viii, p. 49 ; Cuv. Reg. Anim. ; Sleeker, Makr. p. 35 ; Peters. Weigm. Arch. 1855, p. 245 ; 

 Jerdon, M. J. L. and Sc. 1851, p. 135 ; Giinther, Catal. ii, p. 360 ; Day, Fish. Malabar, p. 08 ; Kner, Novara 

 Fische, p. 142 ; Klimz. Verb. z. b. Ges. Wicn, 1871, p. 441. 



Scomber chrysozonus, Riipp. N. W. Fische, t. xi, f. 1 ; Giinther, Catal. ii, p. 360. 



Scomber Beani, Day, Proc. Z. S. 1870, p. 690 (adult). 



Karna-hita or Karnang-kullutan, Tam. : Eanagurta, Tel. : Ila, Mai. : Nga-congree, " Large head," ]\Iugh. : 

 Looh-wa-dah, Andam. 



" A portion of Fam. Lichoidei, Bleeker (see note, page 229). 

 f Forming a distinct Family, Ecueneoidei, Bleeker. 



