282 FAMILY OF THE SCOMBRID.E. 



SCOMBRIDiE. 



THE BLUE EISH. 



HORSE MACKEREL.— GREEN FISH, IN VIRGINIA.— SKIPJACK, IN 

 CAROLINA.— SNAPPING MACKEREL. 



Tenmodon SaUato7- —Cvmer. 



A BOLD, fierce, and well-known fish this, greatly sought after, 

 and affording fine sport to the fisherman, and right-royally good 

 to eat when quite fresh out of the water, split in two down the 

 back, nailed upon a shingle, and roasted before a quick fire. 



It is a singularly erratic fish, sometimes swarming on the 

 coasts, and again almost entirely disappearing. It occasionally 

 runs far up rivers, and was taken in the Hudson, so high up as 

 the Highlands, in great quantities in the year 1841. It appears 

 to have been entirely unknown on the coasts of New York before 

 the year 1810, since which it has been, on the whole, gradually 

 on the increase, while in like proportion its \dctims, the Weak 

 Fish and King Fish, appear to be dying out. 



The Blue Fish is said occasionally to reach the weight of thirty- 

 five pounds, but the average run is from three to eight. They 

 generally frequent the coasts of New York from May until late 

 in the autumn. Their geographical range is very wide, from 



