HUI AMCAL 

 «AI^UM 



COMPARATIVE STDDY ÜF S(;OMl:H<)ID KLSHES. 295 



Introduction. 



Japuiese nntunilist? of oldeii tinK-s, snch iis Ekikkn Kaidaua (38), .Tyi'dki 

 KuRODA (50), aud Shyusaku Takei (73), HiTiuu-atl tho stiombroid fishc« in tour 

 groups : — mackerels, seerfislies, tiiuuit«, and bonib». Tlumgli these authors did 

 not rueutiou the goneral characters of these gi-onps, I do uot hesifcxte t ) say 

 that their <il)seiTations were keen and accurate. 



In the Occident, Linnaeus and liis followers grouped the scombi-oid fishes 

 in a siiigle genus Scomber without f)rdor; hut in 1829 CnviEii founded a new 

 classification, and {irrauged the scombrc^id fishes (Ics Scfjiubms) in eight genera : — 

 Scomber, Thynnus, Orcynvs, Auxis, Sanla, Cybium, Thryatcs, and Gempyles. 

 This S3-stem has been followed bj- sucx;eeding authoi^, though more or less 

 altered by them. Thus at present tunnies and tonitos ai« classified with 

 seerfislies and mackerels tDgether in rmo and the same fcimily, Scombridae, and 

 even many recent investigators who have the tendency of di\nding old families 

 into many new ones have not yet touched this family. HEG AN (62) observed 

 that the definition of the fanoily Scombridse is not satisfactory, and the natural 

 aflSuitire of diflerent genera are Httle erjilained. Recently Starks (69) tried 

 tD solve the mutual rektiouship of scombroid fishes fi'om the study of the 

 skeleton, and published valuable results. 



The scombroid fishes ax& of great consequence in the economy of om" 

 coimtiy, ranking nest in impoitance to the clupeoid fishes. Tlieir annual catch 

 a uounts to ca. 150,000,000 kg. in weight, and 25,000,000 yen in value. These 

 figures are bsised on statistical reports from the government, and I Ijelievo that 

 they ai'e much imderesti mated. Of cora'se the amount of catch fluctuates 

 j-eaaly ; but there is a tendency to gi'adual increase, as tlie fishing gi'oimds ju^e 

 more and more extended. Tliough these fshes ai-e caught nearly in every 

 part of our empire, and the whole year round, they are more abimd;int in 

 southern piu-ts, and more on the Pacific coasts than on the Japan Sea 

 coasts. Recently Jajaanese fishermen have begun to catch tivnuies and bonitos 

 in great abundance in the Hawaiian waters iuid in South Cahfomia. 



The scombroid fishes ai-e mostly migratory, swim near the surfiice of the sea, 

 and ai'e very widely disüibuted. They form Lu'ge schools, grow very rapidly, 

 mostly attaining a gigantic size, and furnish a rich, palatable, nutriciou? food. 



