140 ACANTHOPTERYGII. — CEPOLAD^. 



excite. He who has experienced the glorious 

 sensations of sailing on the Western Ocean, a 

 bright autumnal sky above, a deep green lucid 

 swell around, a steady breeze, and as much of 

 it as the hooker can stand up to, will estimate 

 the exquisite enjoyment our morning's Mackerel- 

 fishing afforded." 



The fishes of this fine Family are predatory 

 and voracious, devouring great numbers of fishes 

 smaller than them.selves, which their muscularity 

 and high powers of swimming enable them to 

 overtake and subdue with facility. The Macke- 

 rel offers no exception to this character of the 

 Family ; it pursues with eagerness the fry of 

 other fishes, and in particular the young of a 

 small species of Clupea, which Mr. Yarrell sup- 

 poses to be the Sprat. 



On our southern coast the Mackerel deposits 

 its spawn in June, which is hatched by the end 

 of the month. The young fry increase rapidly 

 in size, so that by the end of August they are 

 found from four to six inches in length, and by 

 November have attained half their adult growth. 

 About this time they retire into deep-water, and 

 appear no more as fry. 



Family X. CEPOLADi^. 



( Rihhon-fislies. ) 



The greatly compressed form of the Cory- 

 phenes, in which the vertical diameter so greatly 

 exceeds the transverse, and the elongation of 

 some among these, prepare the student for the 

 contemplation of the present Family, in which 



