DESCRIITION (»F THE BLUE FISH. 2S.*i 



Brazil to Massachusetts on the coasts of America, from New 

 llollaiul to Madaf^ascar, and from Amboyna to Ei^ypt. 



'I'lie young Hsh abound in the mouths of onr rivers from four 

 to six inches in length, and v\in thru they will take the bait 

 with avidity. 



The ordinary mode of catching this finr (ish is with wliat is 

 technically termed a s(|ui(l, or piece of bright bom- or metal, 

 hurled out from the stern of a sailing boat, going with what is 

 known as a " mackerel bree/.e" in a sea-way, and drawn rajjidly 

 home by liand. 



Tljcre are numy worse kinds of sport than this ; the swift 

 motion of the vessel, the dasliing spray, and the rapid 

 biting of the tish, cond)ining to create a highly pleasurable 

 excitement. 



The colour of this fish is a light bluish grey, with deeper 

 tints on the back, and greenish reflections on the sides, becoming 

 silvery on the belly. Tlic pectorals, dorsal, and caudal fins, 

 greenish brown ; the ventrals and anal, bluish white. 



The body is oblong, cylindrical, compressed, and sknder ; the 

 facial outline gently sloping; the scales, which cover the whole 

 body, the head, gill-covers, and much of the tins are of moderate 

 size nnd oblong oval form. 



The lower jaw is longest, bf)th maxillaries are well armed 

 with sharp lancet -formed teeth; the palatines, vomer, and base 

 of tongue banded with card-like patches of teeth. The opcreulinn 

 terminates in two indistinct Hat points. 



The first dorsal tin is composed of seven weak spinous rays; 

 the second of one short and twenty-five longer fiexible rays. 

 The pectorals have seventeen soft ; the ventrals, one spine and 



