■458 FISHES. 



Scales of the pectoral region crowded, forming a corslet. Teetli 

 rather small. A longitudinal keel on each side of the tail. 



The best-known species of this genus is the " Tunny " 

 {Thynnus thyoinus), abundant in the Mediterranean, and rang- 

 ing to the south coast of England and to Tasmania. It is 

 one of the largest fishes of the ocean, attaining to a length of 

 10 feet, and to a weight of more than 1000 lljs. The fishery 

 of the Tunny is systematically carried on in the Mediter- 

 ranean, and dates from the most remote antiquity. Its salted 

 preparation was esteemed by the Eomans under the name of 

 Scdtamcntum sardicum. Its flesh is extensively eaten now, 

 fresh as well as preserved. 



Thynnus j^damys, or the " Bonito," is equally well known, 

 and ranges over all the tropical and temperate seas ; it eagerly 

 pursues the Flying-fish, and affords welcome sport and food 

 to the sailor. In its form it resembles the Tunny, but is 

 more slender and rarely above three feet long. 



Some of the other species are provided with very long 

 pectoral fins, and generally called by sailors "Albacore." 

 They are said to grow to a length of six feet ; Bennett in his 

 " Whaling Voyage," vol. ii. p. 278, makes the following obser- 

 vations on Th. gcrmo, from the Pacific : " Ships when cruising 

 slowly in the Pacific Ocean, are usually attended by myriads 

 of this fish for many successive mouths. A few days' rapid 

 sailing is, nevertheless, sufficient to get rid of them, however 

 numerous they may be, for they seldom pay more than very 

 transient visits to vessels making a quick passage. When 

 the ship is sailing with a fresh breeze they swim pertinaciously 

 by her side and take the hook greedily, but should she be 

 lying motionless or becalmed they go off to some distance in 

 search of prey, and cannot be prevailed upon to take the 

 most tempting bait the sailor can devise. It is probably as 

 a protection from their chief euemy, the Sword-fish, that they 

 seek the society of a sliip. I am not aware that the Shark is 



