192 



FISHES OF NORTH CAROLINA. 



The spring catch is greater than that of the fall, but this is doubtless due to weather con- 

 ditions. Apparently Spanish mackerel run before the wind, so that, since all the fishing is done 

 within a comparatively short distance from the shore, the fish are not expected when an off- 

 shore wind prevails. Thus, a southeast breeze is quite favorable, while a northwest breeze 

 is most unfavorable for fishing. To the prevailing southerly winds of the spring and summer 

 is, therefore, to be attributed the better catch in May and June. 



On the night and morning of October 19 and 20, 1903, one dealer at Morehead City 

 received 15,000 pounds of mackerel — an unprecedented day's catch for the fall, though larger 

 catches are sometimes made in the spring. The nvunber of mackerel taken varies much from 

 year to year; during the fall of 1903 it has been high; a year ago there were not many, some 

 being taken 10 miles off Cape Lookout. 



The yield of this excellent fish in 1902 aggregated 354,085 pounds, valued at 

 $19,948. The bulk of the catch came from the seine and gill-net fisheries 

 of Carteret, Pamlico, Hyde, and Dare counties. In 1897 the product was 

 330,840 pounds, worth $18,017; and in 1890 was 91,500 pounds, valued at $6,252. 



164. SCOMBEROMORUS REGALIS (Bloch). 



"Cere"; King-fish; King Cero; Spotted Cere; Spotted Mackerel. 



Scomber regalis Bloch, Ichthyologie, pi. 333, 1797; Martinique. 



Cyhium regale, Yarrow, 1877, 208; Beaufort. Jordan & Gilbert, 1879, 375; Beaufort (after Yarrow). 



Scomberomorus regalis, Jordan & Evermann, 1896, 975, pi. cxxxv, fig. 369. Linton, 1905, 362; Beaufort. 



Diagnosis. — -Depth contained 4.5 times in total length; length of head slightly greater 

 than depth; maxillary reaching to below eve; teeth triangular, compressed; lateral line descend- 

 ing obliquely, wavy along tail; pectoral fins scaly; dorsal rays about xviii+ 15, with 8 finlets; 

 anal rays ii,14; caudal fin less widely forked than in S. maculatus. Color: silvery, darker on 

 back; 2 blackish longitudinal stripes across lateral line under soft dorsal, these broken into 

 numerous spots posteriorly; similar spots in rows above and below the others; spinous dorsal 

 fin black anteriorly, {regalis, royal, kingly.) 



Fig. 78. KiNG-FiSH. Scomberomorus regalis. 



Although the king-fish ranges northward on our east coast as far as Massa- 

 chusetts, it is not abundant north of Florida. Its similarity to the Spanish 

 mackerel and cero is such that the fishermen often do not distinguish between 

 them. Yarrow reported the fish as not abundant at Beaufort, only one being 

 seen by him, and Jordan, Gilbert, and Jenkins did not find it there. It 

 occurs regularly in summer, however, in company with Scombermorus cuvalla, 

 but its relative abundance has not been determined. The usual weight is 15 to 

 35 pounds. Its habits are like those of the cero, and its food and game qualities 

 are similar. 



