94 THE EDIBLE FISHES OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 
THE MACKERELS. 
Common Mackerel (Scomber colvas). 
Puate LXIIl. 
The Mackerel of Australia is identical with the ‘ Thimble- 
eyed Mackerel,” or “‘ Chub Mackerel,” of America, and the 
so-called “‘ Spanish Mackerel”’ of England. The last men- 
tioned must not be confused with the large mackerels men- 
tioned later under that name. 
_ While this species is already well and favorably known 
in our waters as a game-fish, and, to a limited extent, as a 
food-fish, its potential importance in the latter capacity can- 
not be too highly estimated. As I have already stated in 
“ Fishes of Australia,’ the Common Mackerel is extensively 
and abundantly distributed in our waters, only a little enter- 
prise being needed to raise it toa position of great importance 
amongst our economic fishes, at the same time creating a 
fishery of boundless extent. Always present in our waters, 
at certain times it swarms along our coastline and in our 
harbors and estuaries in countless myriads. Most of those 
that enter the inlets are immature, the larger fishes usually 
preferring the open waters of the ocean itself, though 
occasionally large shoals of those also put in an appearance. 
The Common Mackerel usually attains a length of 12 to 
14 inches.* 
Horse Mackerel (Sarda chilensis). 
Pirate LXIV. 
This large species is not so often seen as the Common 
Mackerel, but, at irregular intervals, shoals of great extent 
put in an appearance in our coastal waters, and at these 
times, comparatively small bodies find their way into our 
harbors and estuaries, thus coming within the scope of the 
fisherman’s hauling-net. It is of some value as a food-fish 
* That is the size of the larger run of those seen in our harbors; but it is likely 
that the species attains, in our ocean waters, a much greater size. In the waters 
of Japan, where this Mackerel gives rise to a great fishery, it attains a length of 
18 to 20 inches. 
