16 SCOMBRI^. 



late as October. Their fishery is generally two months 

 later than that of the Tunny. The Germons prey on 

 Mullets, Pilchards, Anchovies, and other fishes that 

 assemble in sculls, and they also pursue the Flying-fishes. 

 When the Germons come to the surface of the water, the 

 fishermen take few, and large captures are only made at 

 great depths. Experience alone points out the places 

 where they may be sought with success, and when once 

 the fishermen fall in with a scull of these fish, they 

 pursue it till the end of the season. A cloudy sky, a 

 fresh north-west or south- west wind, and a gently-agitated 

 sea, are favourable for this fishery. When in full season, 

 that is, in July and August, the meat of the Germon is 

 whiter and more delicate than that of the Tunny, and 

 fetches a better price, but before and after these months 

 it is inferior. These details are borrowed from the 

 Histoire des Poissons, wherein the history of the species 

 is carried to a much greater length. 



The specimen described in the Zoologist by Mr. R. 

 Q. Couch was eighteen inches long and five high, ex- 

 cluding the vertical fins. The Germon has the usual 

 form of the Tunnies, and a thickness equal to about two- 

 thirds of its height. The falcate pectoral reaches as far 

 towards the tail as the middle of the anal fin. The corse- 

 let, composed of larger scales, commencing on the humeral 

 chain, embraces the base of the pectoral, and extending as 

 far as that fin reaches, forms a recess in which the fin 

 lies when it is laid to the side of the fish. The formula 

 for the fin-rays is 



P. 37: D. 143+12, VIII. : A. 3+12, VIII. : V. 1 + 5: C. 40. 



There are three graduated spines buried in the front 

 of the soft dorsal and anal, and eight detached finlets 

 follow each of these fins. The ventrals are closely approxi- 



