[3] * THE SPANISH MACKEREL. 397 
a monopoly of the name within the limits of the United States. But 
though this is the only species to which the name Spanish mackerel prop- 
erly belongs, it must not be inferred that the fish is always called by its 
right name. On the contrary, the fishermen have several names for it. 
In the Gulf of Mexico and along the Southern Atlantic coast it is univer- 
sally known as the “Spanish mackerel.” About Wilmington, N. C., it is 
occasionally taken by the fishermen, some of whom call it by its proper 
name, while others knowit as the “ horse-mackerel”. In Chesapeake Bay 
it is called “bay mackerel”, or, almost as frequently, simply “mackerel”. 
On the New Jersey coast it is frequently called the “spotted mackerel” to 
distinguish it from the Scomber scombrus, which is known as the “mack- 
erel” or “banded mackerel”. Again, Josselyn, who visited the New 
England coast in the early part of the sixteenth century, spoke of the 
‘speckled hound-fish” in such a way that Professor Goode thinks he 
could have referred to no other species than our Cybium maculatum. 
DeKay@escribed it as the “spotted cybium”. 
2.—DESCRIPTION OF THE SPECIES. 
Six species of the genus Cybium are found in American waters, but 
thus far only three of them have been taken within the limits of the 
United States, the others occurring about the West Indies. The species 
frequenting our coast, namely, C. maculatum, C. regale, and C. cabella, 
have already been mentioned. These are very similar in general ap- 
pearance, and were it not for the difference in size, few fishermen would 
recognize them as distinct species. 
The Cybiwm maculatum, the species at present under consideration (see 
Plate I) was first described by Mitchill, under the name of Scomber macu- 
latus. Later, Agassiz referred it to the genus Cybium, calling it the Cy- 
bium maculatum, a name that is now universally adopted. The species 
is similar in form to the common mackerel, though in size and color 
it is quite different. It is, without question, one of the most beautiful 
fishes of our coast, and few of the fishes of the tropical seas surpass it 
in brilliancy. Its back hasa greenish tint, which gradually shades into 
leaden or dove color on the sides. All of the under parts, including the 
lower sides, gill-covers, and ventral and anal fins, are pearly white. 
About twenty yellowish spots, varying from one-eighth to one-third of 
an inch in diameter, and forming a brilliant contrast with the leaden 
background, are scattered irregularly along the upper sides, ehiefly 
on the anterior portion of the body. A prominent lateral line begins just 
above the operculum, rising slightly at first, then bending downward 
and continuing in a crooked or wavy path almost to the tail. The head 
is long and pointed, the eyes large and yellowish, with double nostrils 
situated slightly in front of them. The mouth is very large and the 
powerful jaws are armed with strong, slightly compressed, or nearly con- 
ical teeth, except in their anterior portion, where these are rudimentary 
or even entirely wanting. The spinous dorsal has a black marking on 
