COJIPARATRE STÜDr OF SCOliBKOID FISHES. 447 



^euulL•s funuiiig 11 iWk red rod uf pkxus witli siinilar nitoriulcs from the 

 dorsiil aorta. It is reumrkable tbat tliis rod of Aiisciilnr plexus is fouud iu the 

 tuuuies which waut the couical vascular plexus ou the inner side of the liver* 



Kidueys are much elongated posteriori}-, reachiuj.; to the segment of 

 about the fifteenth vertebra. Ureters ar(; united forming an acute angle 

 under the thirteenth vertebra, and the common ureter is fouud behind the 

 vertebra. Thus the uretera are shajxxl like tlie letter 1'. 



A'ertebml column i-ather slender, and the second vertebra is nearly as 

 high as broad. The jx^sterior caudal vertelirae are remarkably elongated. 

 Parapophyses long and flattened They become more or less vertical in the 

 eighth vertebra, turned downwards iu the ninth vertebra, and an ai'cli from the 

 eleventh veiiebra. Haemal canal wide, especially in the precaudal region, 

 whei-e the breadth of the cavity is nearly equal to that of the middle jmrt 

 of the respective vertebra. In one specimen I foimd the dorsal and venti-al 

 spines of the 36th vei'tebra short and nearly horizontal, instead of long and 

 covering those of the next vertebra. 



The colour is nearly black at the back, sides gi'eyish ^\■ith oblique 

 transvei-se lines and series of dots of silvery white iu alternation. Iris gi'eenish 

 yellow ; first doreal greyish tinged with yellow ; tips of the second dorsal and 

 dorsal finlets bright yellow ; pectorals black on the inner side, greyish or same- 

 times yellowing on the outerside ; veutijils gi'eyish, tinged with yellow ; anal 

 and anal finlets Imght yellow. 



Distribution very wide, found in the Indo-Pacific region. Prefers warm 

 water, 15-25^ C mostly in the water of ca. 20° C. Northern limit of the 

 distriliution is ca. 35° N, but sometimes fognd beyond 40° N. Occasionally 

 found in the Jajjan Sea, and is caught irt Hokkaido, near Otaru, late in 

 simimer. Foimd in the Hawaiian watei-s and south Califomian coast. 



Large specimens measure more than 7 ra iu length, and ca 200 kg in 

 weight, next in size to our common tunny. 



They swim near* tlie surface of the sea, esiDecially iu summer, and 

 closeh' approach the land ; but small immature fishes Civ. 2 kg in weight are 

 alwa^-s in the oft-shore grounds, accompanying a school of the strijDed bonitos. 

 L.-arger ones are caught by troll-lines, long Unes, drift-nets, circle nets, ix)imd- 

 nets, set nets, etc. Smaller ones are caught with rods and lines, circle nets. 



