THE MACKEREL FAMILY. 165 



parts and under many names. In America, where it Is 

 found on both the Atlantic and Pacific coasts, it is known 

 as "Oceanic Bonito" ; the first portion of its name of course 

 being in reference to its free pelagic existence. It occurs 

 also upon the shores of Great Britain, Japan, India, China 

 and many other places. 



The back of the Bonito is bluish, the belly being silver v 

 with four brownish stripes on each side parallel with the 

 lower curve of the body. 



The Albacore is still more pelagic in its nature than 

 any of the others so far mentioned, roaming the wide oceans 

 within tropical and sub-tropical zones, and seldom entering 

 coastal inlets. It is closely allied to the large Tunnies, from 

 which it differs chiefly in having the pectoral fin very long 

 and shaped like a sabre; in the adult the length of this fin 

 being about two-fifths of that of the body. 



As a food-fish, this species is of little value, its flesh 

 being coarse and oily. 



It attains a length of over four feet, one of that size 

 having been captured in 1903, at Port Macquarie, on the 

 coast of New South Wales. 



It appears to be very rare in Australian waters. 

 Sailing ships when cruising in the Pacific Ocean, have 

 been known to be attended by myriads of this species for 

 many successive months. 



In regard to the name of this fish it may be mentioned 

 that Jordan and Evermann state that "Albacore is from 

 Albacora, a Portuguese name, said to be from the Arabic 

 al a, and bacora, little pig. It should not be spelled Albicore 

 as it is not connected with Albus, white." 



The Spanish Mackerels : I have here adopted the title 

 used by the American Ichthyologists just quoted, for fishes 

 of the genus S comb ero morns. We have two kinds on the 

 coast of New South Wales, both of which attain to very 

 large proportions and are very widely distributed. In a 

 general way they may be distinguished from one another, 

 by the fact that in S. guttatits, there are a number of large 

 ovate spots of a dark colour, distributed over a great part 



