44 CAPTAIN TUCKEY’S NARRATIVE. 
succeeded by moderate breezes from S.S.W.and S. W. 
with which we stood close hauled across the Gulf of Guinea ; 
but the strong N.E. currents prevented our making any 
southing. ‘The weather, in crossing the Gulf, was always 
extremely cloudy, with frequent drops of rain, and much 
less sultry, the thermometer varying between 80° and 78°. 
May 6th. Until this time the Naturalists were obliged to 
content themselves with the small animals the towing net 
afforded them, but they were now gratified by the capture of 
albicore and bonito, many of both’ bemg taken by the 
grains and hook. ‘The most apparent distinctive characters 
of these two species of the Scomber are the following. 'The 
albicore (Scomber thynnus) has 14 rays in the first dorsal 
fin, 8 small false fins on the back, and the same number on 
the under side; the dorsal, anal, and false fins are strongly 
tinged with orange, the under part of the sides of the fish 
marked with transverse whitish stripes, the palate studded 
with boney points. ‘The foremost dorsal fin of the bonito 
(Sc. pelamis) has 16 rays, the false fins are eight on the 
back, and only seven beneath. ‘These fins have no orange 
tinge ; the under sides are marked longitudinally with four 
black stripes, and the palate is quite smooth. 
If the esteemed tunny-fish of the Mediterranean and the 
albicore of the Atlantic be the same species, there seems to. 
