FAMILY SCOMBRIDZ — SCOMBER. 103 
“the neighborhood. They are then caught in great numbers, and salted. T hey have the 
“ five pinnule described by authors, and do not materially differ in the number of their fin 
“rays. It is, however, maintained by some that the American Mackerel is a larger fish, and 
“has a somewhat different appearance ; hence, for the sake of distinctness, they are called 
“by some the Horse Mackerel. A more rigorous comparison is therefore required to deter- 
“ mine whether the European and American species are identical.” 
They appear on our coast in the months of May and June, but their numbers vary in dif- 
ferent years. On the coast of Massachusetts, where the fishery is most productive, more 
than two hundred vessels are sometimes engaged in this business ; and according to Dr. Storer, 
in 1837, 234,059 barrels were taken, equal in value to $1,639,042. 
The northern range of this species appears to extend a very short distance beyond Cape 
Cod. Its southerly range has not been ascertained, but it probably extends to the Caribbean 
sea. 
THE FALL MACKEREL. 
ScCoMBER GREX. 
PLATE XI. FIG. 32. 
Thimble-eyed, Bull-eyed or Chub Mackerel, S. grec. Mircu. Lit and Phil. Vol.1, p. 422 
Le Petit Maquereau de V Atlantique. Cuv. et Vat. Hist, des Poiss. Vol, 8, p. 45. 
Characteristics. Small. A black spot at the base of the pectorals and tip of the lower jaw. 
Dorsal bands very tortuous. Length 8 — 10 inches. 
Description. Head one-fourth of the total length. Lateral line slightly irregular, but nearly 
concurrent with the back. yes large and prominent. Nostrils double, distant. Teeth mi- 
nute, acute, distant, varying in number from 40-70 according to the size of the fish; in our 
specimen, 52 — 58 in each jaw. 
The first dorsal fin triangular ; the first ray slightly shorter than the second, which is longest; 
thence successively diminishing to the last, which scarcely appears above the dorsal furrow : 
it arises 0+4 behind a point vertical to the pectorals, and contains twelve slender rays. The 
second dorsal longer than high, of twelve rays, with a nearly straight margin ; the first shorter 
than the second, which, together with the third and fourth, are longest ; thence gradually 
decreasing to the antepenultimate ray, which is shorter than the two last: this fin arises very 
shortly before the anal. Five dorsal pinnule. Pectorals very broad, with nineteen rays. 
The first ray of the anal fin a short, simple, and rather broad spine ; the third and fourth rays 
longest: posterior to this are five finlets. Caudal fin furcate, with two short and obvious 
carine on each side of the tail. 
Color, as in the preceding, with the exceptions noted in the specific phrase. Margin of 
the tail dark-colored at the angle. A small well defined straight black line on the dorsal 
ridge, between the two dorsal fins ; the second scarcely darker than the first dorsal. 
