198 THE EDIBLE FISHES OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 
I have received no further evidence of the existence of this 
species in our waters since the capture of those first recorded. 
Spotted Spanish Mackerel (Scomberomorus guttatus). 
Though they are not turned to much account in our 
present fisheries, the Spanish Mackerels (of both the known 
species) must be considered as being amongst the most 
important of our fishes. Occurring at intervals in prodigious 
shoals and attaining a large size, they can hardly fail to be 
of great commercial value in our future fisheries; and there 
appears to be every probability of a very lucrative fishery 
being established on this coast. 
The Spanish Mackerels are very well known, and greatly 
esteemed, in the United States of America, as food-fishes, 
and there is absolutely no reason why they should not come 
as prominently forward (or even more so) in our own waters, 
where they are so abundant. 
Of elegant and beautiful form, these fishes are the very 
essence of speed; and they are essentially pelagic or oceanic 
! n habit, roaming freely over large areas of sea. 
The Spotted Spanish Mackerel attains a length of about 
6 feet, and is very elongate in shape. In color it is bluish 
above and silvery on the sides, the latter being ornamented 
with fairly large, somewhat ovate or circular, dark spots. 
Barred Spanish Mackerel (Scomberomorus commersoni). 
Pirate LXVI* 
This species is somewhat higher in the body than the 
preceding. The color of the body is very like that of the 
Spotted Spanish Mackerel, but instead of spots, the sides 
are very prettily ornamented with more or less wavy vertical 
bars of a deep bluish tint.t It grows to a length of about 
4 feet or more. 
A large shoal of these was present in our waters at the 
end of January of this year. One of this shoal, which I 
handled, measured about 4 feet 6 inches. 
* See also the special design on the front of the cover of this work, which 
gives an impression of a shoal of these fishes in full tilt. 
+ These bars are broader and straighter in young and half-grown examples. 
