Cdjn'.VRATIVE STl'DY OF SCOMBROID FISHES. 449 



Venules tj the cutaiieons vein are iinnnged in one row, fju the 8ide 

 towards the hiterul median line. These venules run side by side with tlie 

 arterioles, and are united t<-) a large vessel just Ixjfore joining tlie cutaneous 

 vein. The up^jer half of the diameter of the cutaneous ai-tery is concealed 

 under tlie cutaneous vein, and ai-teiioles from the cutaueoas aiiery are arranged 

 in one or two rows, and more numerous than the venules, am sent from tlie 

 exterior nuxlian line of the <nitaneous artery. A cutaneous vein on each side 

 of the body joins the canliual ^•ein below the ninth vertebm, and the cardinal 

 vein pfjius into the riglit Cuvierian duct. Each cutiineous vein sends a large 

 branch to the kidnej-s, l)efore joining the cardinal vein. Tliis is a renal 

 jxartal vein. ' In the luiemal canal a thick rod of plexus of transverse arterioles 

 »lud venules is joined. The diameter of tlie plexus is a little teoader than that of 

 the vertebra in the pi-ecaudal r^ion. The second branch of the coeliacomesenteric 

 aitery nourishes the right dorsal side of the stomach, spleen, and intestine. 



Second vertt^lii-a wider than high. Ti'ans\ei'se ])rocesses are not well 

 develo^ied and are turnetl downwards from the ninth vertebra, and the haemal 

 arch is closed from the 11th vertebra, as in Neot/nmmts rnan-optervs. 



Back grejish blue, sides silvery greyish with colöurles3 elongated spots 

 in about five longitudinal rows. Doi-sals, j^iectorals, and the venti'als l>lackish, 

 but the tip of the second dorsal and the anal is washed vdth yellow. Anal fin 

 silvery. Finlets, both dorsal and anal are yellowish with greyish margin. 



Smallest tunny not only in our watere, but perhaps in the world. Fish 

 about 70 cm in length and ca 6 kg in weight is common. Such a small 

 tunny contained large and nesu'ly ri^» ovaries in Febraary. Fish-mongere told 

 me that a 12 kg fish is maximum. 



Flesh is pale in colour, fatty and rather soft, but its taste is very nice. 



Very limited in distribution. Found on the western and southern coast 

 of Kyusliyii and on the southwestern part of the Japan Seji. So far as 1 

 know, it is caught very near the coast, rather rare, and was quite unknown to 

 science, till I got it from the market of Tokyo m 1913. People of the market 

 considered it as a variety of Ncothunnvs mncropterus. It Ls rather sti'ikiug tliat 

 this species remained unnoticed for a verj' long jieriod. In autumn a few 

 exjunples are said to be fotmd every day in the market at Nagasaki. 



Caught in poimd-nets, and sometimes with rods and lines in littoral water 



