MACKERELS, HORSE-MACKERELS, ALLIED FORMS 131 



1898). His researches not only enabled him to draw con- 

 clusions as to the migrations, about which something will be 

 said later, but also to establish a most important anatomical 

 correlation between abnormal development of spots and ab- 

 normal increase in the number of fin-rays, associating these 

 as departures from the normal type. Morphologically, there- 

 fore, as well as economically, his enquiry was of considerable 

 value. 



In the mere matter of size, it is within the experience 

 of every buyer of fish that the fish-dealer offers sometimes 

 very large and sometimes correspondingly small mackerel. 

 According to the season and the wares, that it is his business 

 to sell without delay, he unhesitatingly affirms that either the 

 large Irish mackerel is the finest flavoured in the market, or 

 that the little "joeys" are better for table purposes than the 

 larger, ranker class of fish. The largest race of mackerel are 

 sometimes called "horse-mackerel" by the fishermen, par- 

 ticularly in the hooking season (August), when these fish are 

 taken on fine drift-lines, and go careering round the boat, 

 to the imminent risk of entangling all the lines over the side. 

 The name is unfortunate, as it might lead to confusion with 

 the horse-mackerel (Caranx) properly so called. Perhaps 

 these different-sized mackerel are to be regarded as merely 

 brigades of one great mackerel army which invades our shores 

 at the appointed season, splitting up into roving bands of large 

 or small fish in spring, the largest remaining in the south-west 

 of the islands, the smaller finding their way along the south 

 and up the east coasts. This, however, has not been satis- 

 factorily determined, nor will be in all probability until more 

 attention has been devoted to the subject. 



Before passing to a brief consideration of the seasonal 

 migrations of our mackerel, it is desirable to take some notice 

 of their mode of feeding and manner of food, with the pro- 

 curing of which one, at any rate, of their two great yearly 

 movements has been associated by all modern authorities. 



