[29] HISTORY OF THE MACKEREL FISHERY. 



way it would wait uutil the fishes caine back, and when they were swim- 

 ming- close to or over the ambuscade, the squid, by a sudden dart, would 

 be pretty sure to secure a fish. Ordinarily when swimming' they were 

 thickly spotted with red and brown, but when darting among the mack- 

 erel they appeared translucent and pale. The mackerel, however, 

 seemed to have learned that the shallow water is the safest for them 

 and would hug the shore as closely as possible, so that in pursuing 

 them many of the squids became stranded and perished by hundreds, 

 for when they once touch the shore they begin to pump water from 

 their siphons with great energy, and this usually forces them farther 

 and farther up the beach. At such times they often discharge their 

 ink in large quantities. The attacks on the young mackerel were ob- 

 served mostly at or near high-water, for at other times the mackerel 

 were seldom seen, though the squids were seen swimming about at all 

 hours ; and these attacks were observed both in the day and evening." 



B.— STUDIES OF THE MOVEMENTS OF THE MACKEREL 



SCHOOLS. 



S. — Hind on the causes of irregular movements. 



In closing this chapter upon the natural history of the mackerel, it 

 seems appropriate to quote from the writings of Professor Hind some 

 very important paragraphs in which he has attempted to interpret the 

 irregular movements of the mackerel schools in our waters, and to ex- 

 plain the causes of the alleged annual variation of their numbers: 



" What is the proper interpretation of the movements of the mackerel 

 from its first appearance in the spring to its disappearance in the fall ? 

 These movements vary with the geographical position of local schools 

 of this fish. On the coasts of the United States and Nova Scotia, its 

 annual movements resemble in all particulars those of the same species 

 in European seas where the schools have a free and unobstructed ocean 

 in which to seek their prey. 



" In the spring, at the end of April and May, the Atlantic schools of 

 this fish which have wintered oft* the coasts approach the land in sepa- 

 rate bodies, full of spawn and poor, coming direct from winter homes 

 where, they have remained in a torpid condition, partially buried in 

 sand or mud. After spawning, the different schools feed for a short 

 time on the fry of fish, and as the temperature rises they go out to sea 

 in search of free-swimming crustaceans and larval forms of food accord- 

 ing as they are distributed by wind and tide. 



" They pursue this food against the current or tide. They often feed 

 during the night, because at that period great numbers of free-swim- 

 ming larval forms approach the surface. This is one reason why mackerel 

 schools are frequently missed by fishermen, and areas supposed to be 

 deserted may really abound with this fish, which would be discovered 



