OF THE HABITS AND MIGRATIONS OF THE MACKEREL. 23 



September and October. — Europe. During September and October 

 the great autumn mackerel fisheries are carried on. On the west coast 

 of France and the south-west of Ireland large numbers of fish are 

 taken, the amount landed in Ireland being as great in some years as 

 during the spring fishery. The fish are of good size and in good 

 condition, but their reproductive organs are not mature. There appears 

 to be a general idea amongst the fishermen that the autumn fish, both 

 here and elsewhere, belong to a different race from those taken in the 

 spring, but no successful attempt has ever been made by naturalists 

 to prove or disprove this contention. 



On the west coast of England an autumn fishery practically does not 

 exist, and on the south coast, although more fish are in general landed 

 in September than in August, the number is by no means large, and 

 October shows a very great falling off. At Plymouth the mackerel 

 leave the Sound after the beginning of September, and are then taken 

 a few miles south of the Eddystoue and off Start Point.* 



In the eastern portion of the Channel {e.g., St. Varley-sur-Somme), 

 and in the southern part of the North Sea (east coast of England and 

 Gravelines), on the other hand, by far the most important fishery of the 

 year takes place at this time, the number of fish landed being greatest 

 in October. 



In Norway there is an autumn fishery of mackerel, which crowd into 

 the deep-water fjords. These fish are feeding on the young herring 

 and other small fish, and are in extremely good condition. As soon as 

 the food gets scarce they go to sea again. Sars considers that they are 

 schools which have separated from the chief summer schools, and 

 instead of going out to sea, have commenced to chase the young herring 

 and follow them into the fjords. Sars also states that these autumn 

 fish frequent deeper water than the summer mackerel, probably because 

 of the fresh water at the surface of the fjords. 



On the French Mediterranean coast the only important autumn 

 fishery is at Marseilles, there being practically none at Cette. 



America. — In America, as in Europe, autumn fishing for mackerel is 

 largely carried on. The vessels at this time of the year work chiefly in 

 the Gulf of St. Lawrence, but mackerel are also taken along the 

 New England coast. The information contained in the various reports 

 of the United States Fish Commission does not, however, indicate 

 that any marked increase of fish in September and October, over 

 that taken during the two preceding months, regularly takes place, 

 as we find to be tlie case in European seas. The autumn fish are in 

 much better condition than those taken in spring, owing to the more 



* CuNNiNOHAM. Nat. Hist. Mark. Mar. Fish., p. 316. 



