SYSTEMATIC CATALOGUE OF FISHES. 



205 



177. CARANX HIPPOS (Linnaeus). 



" Olbacore" ; " Albacore" ; "Horse Mackerel" ; Crevalle ; Oavally ; Horse Crevalle (S.C.) ; 



Jack; Jack Crevalle (S. C.) 



Scomber hippos Linnaeus, Systema Naturie, ed. xii, 494, 1766; Charleston, S. C. 

 Carangus hippos, Yarrow, 1877, 208; Beaufort. 



Caranx hippos, Jordan, 1886, 27; Beaufort. Jordan & Everraann, 1896, 920, pi. cxli, fig. 387. 

 365; Beaufort. 



Linton, 1905, 



Diagnosis. — Depth .4 length; head large and deep, 28 length of body, anterior profile 

 strongly curved; mouth large, lower jaw prominent, maxillary extending to or beyond posterior 

 border of eye; two canine teeth in front of lower jaw; eye .2 length of head; gill-rakers long and 

 stout, 15 on lower arm of first arch; plates on lateral line 30; dorsal rays viii + i,20; anal rays 

 11 + 1,17; pectorals slightly longer than head. Color: olive green above, golden on sides and 

 abdomen; a large black opercular blotch; axil of pectorals with a black blotch; margin of soft 

 dorsal black, {hippos, horse.) 



Fig. 83. Cavally. Caranx hippos. 



This species of cavally is found on both coasts of America, and occurs 

 regularly on the eastern seaboard of the United States as far north as Massachu- 

 setts. On the North Carolina coast it is the commonest species of the genus. At 

 Beaufort, where the general name for the cavallies is "albacore" or "olbacore", 

 these fishes were formerly caught in considerable quantities in spring, but are 

 not now abundant; occasionally a shipment of 25 to 30 boxes is made. The 

 local opinion is that the fish has a thick skin and tough flesh, and does not have 

 high rank as a food fish; although at Key West, Florida, and at other places it 

 has some commercial importance. Its weight is usually under 5 pounds, but 

 often reaches 10 or 12 pounds and occasionally 20 pounds. Lawson's note on 

 the cavallies doubtless applies primarily to this species: 



Cavallies are of a brownish color, have exceeding small scales and a very thick skin; they 

 are as firm a fish as ever I saw; therefore will keep sweet (in the hot weather) two days, when 

 others will stink in half a day, unless salted. They ought to be scaled as soon as taken; other- 

 wise you must pull off the skin and scales, when boiled; the skin being the choicest of the fish, 

 The meat, which is white and large, is dressed with this fish. 



