THE PELAMID. 21 



somewhat more conspicuous than the others, covers a 

 triangular area on each side, which extends from the 

 supra-scapula to a little beyond the point of the pec- 

 toral, where it ends rather obtusely. Its inferior edge 

 is straight, and running along and near the under margin 

 of the pectoral, joins the coracoid above the curve of 

 the gill-cover. On the back the scales are very small, 

 but sufficiently visible to the naked eye by reflected 

 light, particularly a row or two under the spinous dorsal. 

 They become gradually imperceptible on the sides, 

 and are lost on the belly in the smooth nacry integu- 

 ment. 



In the supra-scapular region, the lateral line bounds 

 the corselet, receding from it over the proximal third of 

 the pectoral, in a small curve convex upwards, then, 

 before it passes the posterior third of the pectoral, re- 

 suming a straight course parallel to the back and nearer 

 to its profile than to that of the belly. It makes, how- 

 ever, some slight undulations before reaching the region 

 of the vent. Opposite the penultimate dorsal and anal 

 free finlets, the lateral line is replaced by a callous 

 cutaneous crest, which terminates at the base of the 

 caudal. There are no oblique crests on the bases of the 

 fin just named, such as the Common Mackerel possesses. 



Both jaws are armed by conico-subulate teeth, rather 

 widely set, with smaller ones springing up in some of the 

 intervals. Most of these teeth are moderately curved, 

 and the tallest ones arm the sides of the mandible ; a pair, 

 equally tall, however, stands on each side of the point 

 of that bone, and rather more interiorly than the general 

 row. On the premaxillaries the teeth are smaller and 

 closer. The palatine ones are strongly curved and rather 

 crowded : there are none on the vomer. 



Ten dark bars traverse the back and upper half of 



