360 PISCES (OSSEI) ACANTHOPT. [BRAMA. 



stronger than the others; more particularly two or four in front of the 

 lower jaw so much produced as to appear like true canines : palatines 

 also with card-like teeth, but none on the vomer or tongue : eyes 

 very large: cheeks and gill-covers scaly: lateral line indistinct; its 

 course parallel to the back at one-fourth of the depth: dorsal com- 

 mencing above the insertion of the pectorals ; its length nearly half 

 the entire length ; three spinous rays gradually increasing ; second and 

 third soft rays longest, equalling nearly one-third of the depth ; fourth 

 to the ninth gradually decreasing ; rest of the fin even, its height at this 

 part only one-third that of the anterior portion: anal resembling the 

 dorsal in form ; commencing a little behind it, but terminating in the 

 same vertical line : caudal crescent-shaped ; the lobes long and pointed, 

 equal: pectorals one-fourth of the whole length, pointed; sixth and 

 seventh rays longest: ventrals very small, only one-quarter the length 

 of the pectorals, placed immediately beneath them ; at the base of their 

 external margin a large triangular scaly plate ; beneath, on the inner 

 margin, another smaller one: 



D. 3/33; A. 2/28; C. 26; P. 19; V. 1/6: 



all the vertical fins with nearly their whole surface covered with small 

 scales. (Colours.) Dull silvery, towards the back tinged with brown : 

 vertical fins brownish ground, with silvery scales: pectorals and vent- 

 rals yellowish. 



First described by Ray from a specimen found on the sands at low 

 water near the mouth of the Tees, Sept. 18, 1681. Since then several 

 other individuals have occurred at different times on various parts of the 

 British coast. Common in the Mediterranean. Weight from ten to 

 twelve pounds. According to Cuvier, spawns in Summer, and during 

 that season is much tormented by intestinal worms. The only Euro- 

 paean species belonging to this genus. Obs. Cuvier is of opinion that 

 the Chcetodon mentioned by Mr. Couch as taken at Looe in Cornwall, 

 Aug. 1821 *, was only an individual of this species. 



GEN. 14. SCOMBER, Cuv. 



(1. SCOMBER, Cuv.) 



34. S. Scomber, Linn. (Common Mackarel.) First 

 dorsal with twelve rays : lower part of the sides and 

 abdomen plain silvery. 



S. Scomber, Linn. Syst. Nat. torn. i. p. 492. Block, Ichth. pi. 54. 

 Don. Brit. Fish. vol. v. pi. 120. S. vulgaris, Flem. Brit. An. 

 p. 217. Mackrell, Will. Hist. Pise. p. 181. tab. M. 3. Common 

 Mackrell, Penn. Brit. Zool. vol. in. p. 264. pi. 51. Mackerel, 

 Yarr. Brit. Fish. vol. i. p. 121. Le Maquereau commun, Cuv. 

 et Vol. Poiss. torn. vm. p. 5. 



LENGTH. From sixteen to eighteen inches. 



DESCRIPT. (Form.) Body compressed, fusiform, tapering to a point 

 before the caudal fin : depth behind the ventrals one-sixth of the length, 

 caudal excluded ; thickness half the depth : head a compressed cone, 

 one-fourth of the whole length, measured to the commencement of the 



* Linn. Trans, vol. xiv. p. 78 



