THE MACKERELS 



also a rare fish, but an occasional visitor to our 

 New England coast ; it is of little value as food, 

 the flesh being coarse and oily, and far inferior to 

 that of the tunny. 



The bonito (Sarda sardd) is essentially a fish of 

 the open ocean, but approaches the shores of 

 New England for the purpose of feeding or 

 spawning, and, under this condition, affords excel- 

 lent sport to those who delight in trolling for 

 them. It is a hard fighter, and game unto death. 

 They range as far north as Cape Cod, and are, as 

 a rule, very abundant, growing to a size of about 

 three feet, and weighing upwards of fifteen pounds. 

 Bluefish trolling tackle is used to capture them. 



The Spanish mackerel (Scomber omorus maculatus, 

 the generic name signifying that the fish is closely 

 allied to the mackerel, and the specific from the 

 Latin, maculatus, " spotted ") is one of the finest 

 table fish of the Atlantic waters. It ranges as far 

 north as Cape Ann, and is usually captured by 

 trolling, a dark, mottled, mother-of-pearl squid 

 seeming to be the most attractive for them. 

 They may be recognized on sight by their bluish 

 backs, silvery sides, on which are many elliptical 

 spots of dull orange color ; two rows of these 

 spots are below the median line, and one above it. 

 It has a pointed head and the tail fin is blackish. 

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