94 THE EDIBLE FISHES OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 



THE MACKERELS. 



Common Mackerel {Scomber colias). 



Plate LXIH. 



The Mackerel of Australia is identical with the " Thimblc- 

 eyed Mackerel," or " Chub Mackerel," of America, and the 

 so-called " Spanish Mackerel " of England. The last men- 

 tioned must not be confused with the large mackerels men- 

 tioned later under that name. 



While this species is already well and favorably known 

 in our waters as a game-fish, and, to a limited extent, as a 

 food-fish, its potential importance in the latter capacity can- 

 not be too highly estimated. As I have already stated in 

 " Fishes of Australia," the Common Mackerel is extensively 

 and abundantly distributed in our waters, only a little enter- 

 prise being needed to raise it to a position of great importance 

 amongst our economic fishes, at the same time creating a 

 fishery of boundless extent. Always present in our waters, 

 at certain times it swarms along our coastline and in our 

 harbors and estuaries in countless myriads. Most of those 

 that enter the inlets are immature, the larger fishes usually 

 preferring the open waters of the ocean itself, though 

 occasionally large shoals of those also put in an appearance. 



The Common Mackerel usually attains a length of 12 to 

 14 inches.* 



Horse Mackerel {Sarda clulensis). 



Plate LXIV. 



This large species is not so often seen as the Common 

 Mackerel, but, at irregular intervals, shoals of great extent 

 put in an appearance in our coastal waters, and at these 

 times, comparatively small bodies find their way into our 

 harbors and estuaries, thus coming within the scope of the 

 fisherman's hauling-net. It is of some value as a food-fish 



* That is the size of the larger run of those seen in our harbors ; but it is likely 

 that the species attains, in our ocean waters, a much s'^ater size. In the waters 

 of Japan, where this Mackerel gives rise to a great fishery, it attains a length of 

 18 to 20 inches. 



