96 EDIBLE FISHES OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 



witli Castelnau's S. anfarcticns, is directly attributable to the Royal Com- 

 missiou Eeport abore quoted. There it is stated : — " The genus Scoviher is 

 represented in Australia by two species, S. australascius, Cuv. & Val., and S. 

 antarcticus, Casteln. The last named is the one best known in these seas as 

 the ' Mackerel'." How so grave an error could have been made it is difficult 

 to imagine, since Castelnau distinctly states that his species has no airbladder, 

 while the most cursory examination is sufficient to reveal the presence of a 

 Avell developed one in our species. Though he has not been followed by 

 other colonial authors this question was practically decided by McCoy many 

 years ago. The only question, therefore, which need concern us now is 

 whether Castelnau is to be relied upon in his statement as to the absence 

 of an airbladder in the unique example of -S. antarcticus which he examined, 

 and judging from the carelessness which characterises many other descriptions 

 of Australian fishes by the same author, and the fact that no other colonial 

 scientist has since met with his fish, we must conclude that the Count'i? 

 conclusion is open to grave doubt ; nevertheless there is no reason whatever 

 why a Mackerel without an airbladder should not be coexistent in our seas 

 with one possessed of that organ, as is the case in European waters ; should 

 this be so >S^. antarcticus will probably prove to be a more southerly form. 

 "We are, however, of opinion that Castelnau was mistaken as to the absence 

 of an airbladder in his suj)poscd species, which will in that event merge in 

 the present form. 



The food of the Mackerel consists of the fry and ova of other fishes, small 

 crustaceans, etc., while as a table fish it is universally esteemed, care being, 

 however, taken that they are eaten quite fresh, as they decompose very 

 rapidly, soon become soft and tasteless, and develop deleterious qualities ; 

 they are also excellent when pickled fresh. They are of great value too in 

 providing the best bait for all other predaceous fishes. 



This Mackerel is common along our coast from south to north, and is 

 " occasionally taken in Queensland waters" according to Saville Kent. 

 McCoy states that it appears " rarely in Hobson's Bay, but in considerable 

 numbers when it does appear"; to the westw'ard it can be traced through 

 King Greorge's Sound whence it was described by Cuvier and Valenciennes 

 to Swan River and northwards, from both which places specimens have been 

 received by the British Museum. Of its occurrence in Tasmanian waters 

 Johnston writes : — " I have not seen specimens, but the fishermen assure me 

 that a fish, called by them the English Mackerel, is seen in immense shoals, 

 after long irregular intervals of time, on the east coast " ; and again : — The 

 English Mackerel is seen on the east coast, occasionally in large numbers, each 

 year, moving in a northerly direction. They have been known to enter the 

 estuary of the Derwent in large numbers as far as Bridgewater, but owing 

 to the absence of proper means for capturing them, they rarely find their way 

 to the market." In New Zealand, where its native name is " Tawataw^a," 

 its occurrence on the coast seems to be much more regular than on our 

 shores ; Sherrin remarks : — '• The appearance of Mackerel shoals is of more 

 frequent and regular occurrence than is generally regarded, or was at least 

 in past years, as it was the usual Maori habit in summer to station men on 

 cliffs to watch the shoals coming to land." 



Many good observers consider that Gmelin's Scomber coUas is identical 

 with this fish, but as this is by no means proved to be correct, and as that 

 species has constantly but seven dorsal spines only, we have considered it 

 advisable to keep them separate. The synonymy given is compiled from 

 descriptions only. 



