MACKEREL-FISHING. 223 
light, and partly loses the brilliancy of its hues. Like all other 
members of the family, it is extremely voracious, and makes 
great havoc among the herring-shoals, although its own length 
is only from twelve to sixteen inches. It inhabits the northern 
Atlantic, and is caught in large numbers along the British coast, 
where it is preceded in its 
annual visit bythe Gar-fish, 
which for this reason has 
received also the name of 
Mackerel-guide. The older 
naturalists ascribed to the 
mackerel the same distant Gar-Fish. 
migrations as to the tunny, 
but most probably it only retires during the winter into the 
deeper waters, at no very great distance from the shores, 
where it appears during the summer season in such incalculable 
numbers. 
The mackerel is caught with long nets or by hand-lines. It 
bites greedily at every bait, hut generally such a one is preferred 
as best represents a living prey darting through the water— 
either some silvery scaled fish, or a piece of metal, or of scarlet 
cloth. With swelling sails the boat flies along, and a sharp 
wind is generally considered so favourable that it is called 
a ‘ Mackerel-breeze.” The line is short, but made heavy 
with lead, and in this manner a couple of men can catch 
a thousand in one day. The more rapid the boat the 
greater the success, for the mackerel rushes like lightning 
after the glittering bait, taking it for a flying prey. The 
chieftains of the Sandwich Islands used to catch the bonito 
mackerels in a similar way, by attach- 
ing flying-fish to their hooks, and ra- 
pidly skimming the surface of the waters. 
Thus everywhere man knows how to 
turn to his advantage the peculiar in- 
stincts or habits of the animal creation. 
The author of “Wild Sports of the West” has favoured us 
with an animated description of mackerel-fishing on the coast 
of Ireland. 
“It was evident that the bay was full of mackerel. In every 
direction, and as far as the eye could range, gulls and puffins 
Bonito. 
