﻿THE 
  COMMON 
  MACKEREL. 
  

  

  DESCRIPTION, 
  SIZE, 
  ETC. 
  

  

  The 
  genus 
  Scomber, 
  of 
  which 
  the 
  common 
  mackerel 
  {S. 
  scombrufi) 
  is 
  

   the 
  leading 
  representative, 
  is 
  distinguished 
  from 
  related 
  genera 
  of 
  

   scombronl 
  hshes 
  of 
  the 
  Atlantic 
  coast 
  (^?«"w, 
  the 
  frigate 
  mackerels; 
  

   Gymnosar<Ja, 
  the 
  little 
  tunnies; 
  T//»ww?/s, 
  the 
  great 
  tunnies; 
  8ar(la,i\iQ> 
  

   bonitos, 
  and 
  ScomberomoruSj 
  tbe 
  Spanish 
  mackerels 
  and 
  kingfisli) 
  by 
  

   the 
  small 
  size 
  of 
  the 
  species, 
  by 
  the 
  absence 
  of 
  a 
  median 
  keel 
  on 
  each 
  

   side 
  of 
  the 
  caudal 
  peduncle, 
  by 
  a 
  short 
  spinous 
  dorsal 
  fin 
  having 
  9 
  to 
  

   12 
  spines, 
  by 
  the 
  pattern 
  of 
  coloration, 
  and 
  by 
  a 
  number 
  of 
  other 
  

   characters. 
  

  

  The 
  body 
  of 
  the 
  mackerel 
  is 
  fusiform 
  and 
  but 
  little 
  compressed 
  later- 
  

   ally. 
  The 
  standard 
  length 
  is 
  3| 
  times 
  the 
  depth. 
  The 
  caudal 
  peduncle 
  

   is 
  slender, 
  with 
  a 
  small 
  keel 
  on 
  either 
  side. 
  One-third 
  of 
  the 
  total 
  

   length 
  without 
  tail 
  consists 
  of 
  the 
  head. 
  The 
  eye 
  is 
  rather 
  small, 
  its 
  

   diameter 
  being 
  only 
  one-fifth 
  the 
  length 
  of 
  the 
  head. 
  The 
  mouth 
  is 
  

   large 
  and 
  armed 
  with 
  a 
  row 
  of 
  small 
  slender 
  teeth 
  in 
  each 
  jaw. 
  There 
  

   are 
  two 
  dorsal 
  fins, 
  the 
  anterior 
  containing 
  11 
  spines 
  and 
  the 
  posterior 
  

   12 
  ra.ys, 
  following 
  which 
  are 
  5 
  finlets; 
  the 
  formula 
  of 
  the 
  anal 
  fin 
  is 
  1 
  

   spine, 
  11 
  rays, 
  and 
  5 
  finlets. 
  The 
  scales 
  are 
  very 
  small, 
  numbering 
  

   several 
  hundred 
  along 
  the 
  lateral 
  line. 
  The 
  color 
  is 
  dark 
  blue 
  above 
  

   and 
  white 
  below. 
  About 
  33 
  dark 
  wa-vy 
  vertical 
  streaks 
  mark 
  the 
  back. 
  

  

  The 
  common 
  mackerel 
  closely 
  resembles 
  the 
  other 
  species 
  ot 
  the 
  same 
  

   gentis 
  fcmud 
  on 
  both 
  tbe 
  Atlantic^and 
  Pacific 
  coasts, 
  namely, 
  the 
  bull's- 
  

   eye, 
  chub, 
  or 
  thimble-eye 
  mackerel 
  {iS. 
  colias), 
  but 
  is 
  separated 
  from 
  it 
  

   by 
  the 
  absence 
  of 
  the 
  air-bladder, 
  more 
  dorsal 
  spines, 
  smaller 
  eye, 
  and 
  

   somewhat 
  different 
  markings. 
  

  

  The 
  length 
  of 
  the 
  full-grown 
  mackerel 
  is 
  17 
  or 
  18 
  inches, 
  but 
  fish 
  a 
  

   little 
  over 
  20 
  inches 
  long, 
  and 
  weighing 
  upward 
  of 
  3J 
  or 
  4 
  pounds, 
  are 
  

   occasionally 
  taken. 
  The 
  average 
  length 
  of 
  the 
  market 
  catch 
  is 
  about 
  

   12 
  inches. 
  Such 
  a 
  fish 
  weighs 
  from 
  three-fourths 
  of 
  a 
  pound 
  to 
  a 
  pound. 
  

  

  Small 
  mackerel 
  are 
  known 
  among 
  the 
  fishermen 
  by 
  several 
  names, 
  

   such 
  as 
  " 
  spikes," 
  " 
  blinkers," 
  and 
  " 
  tinkers." 
  Spikes 
  are 
  the 
  smallest 
  

   cattght 
  by 
  the 
  commercial 
  fishermen; 
  they 
  are 
  5 
  or 
  6 
  inches 
  long 
  and 
  

   are 
  5 
  to 
  7 
  months 
  old. 
  Tinkers 
  are 
  under 
  9 
  inches 
  in 
  length 
  and 
  are 
  

   supposed 
  to 
  be 
  about 
  two 
  years 
  old. 
  Blinkers 
  are 
  intermediate 
  in 
  size 
  

   and 
  age. 
  Maturity 
  is 
  probably 
  attained 
  in 
  the 
  fourth 
  year. 
  

  

  DISTRIBUTION, 
  MOVEMENTS, 
  ABUNDANCE, 
  AND 
  SPAWNING. 
  

  

  This 
  species 
  inhabits 
  the 
  North 
  Atlantic 
  Ocean. 
  On 
  the 
  American 
  

   coast 
  its 
  range 
  is 
  from 
  Cape 
  Hatteras 
  to 
  the 
  Straits 
  of 
  Belle 
  Tsle. 
  On 
  

   the 
  European 
  coast 
  the 
  fish 
  is 
  found 
  from 
  northern 
  Norway, 
  in 
  latitude 
  

  

  F. 
  C. 
  K. 
  1897 
  14 
  209 
  

  

  