474 THE COMMON MACKEREL. 



specimen of this remarkable fish, which greatly resembles 

 the Hi-mini R'nji. \\a- raptured in the vicinity of llammer- 

 fest (situated not far from the North Cape), in 1832, ai.d 

 brought down from thence by ;i sea captain. It is now 

 preserved in the Stockholm Museum. 



The Common Mackerel (M<tkrill, S\v. ; Mkr,>l, Nor\v. 

 and Dan. ; Scomber Scombrus, Linn.) is very plentiful 

 during summer in the Boh us Skiirg.ird, as also on the 

 western coasts of both Sweden and Norway. K rover tells 

 us that lat. G4 may be considered its northern limits, but 

 M. Love'n seems to have met with stray specimens much 

 farther north. It is also found, though it would appear 

 only occasionally, in the Baltic, but never so high, I believe, 

 as the Gulf of Bothnia. Its usual length is from twelve to 

 fifteen inches, but it has been known to reach even two 

 feet. It is somewhat migratory in its habits. Some 

 surmise its proper home to be the Atlantic, and others 

 the Arctic seas, but the learned in Denmark and Sweden 

 are inclined-to believe that its wanderings do not extend 

 farther than from the deeps of the North Sea, where it 

 winters, to the neighbouring coast, where it spawns. 

 13e this as it may, their first appearance in the spring 

 (usually the early part of May; is otF the coast of Nor- 

 way, and a few days afterwards they reach the Kattegat. 

 The smaller shoals are said to be the first to enter the 

 Skargird, and the larger follow at an after-period. 

 "During these their migrations," says Ekstrom, "they 

 always swim near the surface, and in preference shape 

 their course where the current is strongest, and always 

 against the wind, especially if blowing hard. The ap- 

 proach of the shoal is observable from a considerable 

 distance, onini; to the water being in a state of turmoil. 

 The fisherman furthermore say, that in the night-time, 

 especially if very dark, the bodies of these fish give forth 

 a sort of phosphorescent light, which may be seen from 



