263 TUNNY. Class IV.. 



in nets, and amazing quantities are taken, for they 

 come in vaft fhoals, keeping along the fhores. 



They frequent our coafts, but not in fhoals like 

 the Tunnies of the Mediterranean. They are not 

 uncommon in the Lochs on the weftern coaft of 

 Scotland -, where they come in purfuit of herrings ; 

 and, often during night, ftrike into the nets, and 

 do confiderable damage. When the fifhermen draw 

 them up in the morning, the Tunny rifes at the 

 fame time towards the furface, ready to catch the 

 fifh that drop out. On perceiving it, a ftrong 

 hook baited with a herring, and fattened to a rope, 

 is inftantly flung out, which the Tunny feldom 

 fails to take. As foon as hooked, it lofes all fpi- 

 rit ; and after a very little reflflance, fubmits to its 

 fate. It is dragged to the fhore and cut up, 

 either to be fold frefh to people who carry it to 

 the country markets, or is preferved faked in large 

 calks. 



The pieces, when frefh, look exactly like raw 

 beef; but when boiled turn pale, and have fome- 

 thing of the flavor of falmon. 



One, which was taken when I was at Invera- 

 ray in 1769, and was weighed for my information, 

 weighed .<\6o pounds. 



The fi(h, I examined, was feven feet ten inches 

 long ; the greateft circumference five feet feven ; 

 the left near the tail one foot fix. The body was 

 round and thick, and grew fuddenly very flender 

 pvvards the tail \ and near that part was angular, 



The 



