132 HISTORY OF THE FISHES OF MASSACHUSETTS. 



SCOMBER VERNALIS, Mitchill. 

 (PLATE XI. FIG. 2.) 



Scomber vernalis, Spring Mackerel, MITCHILL, Trans. Lit. and Phil. Soc. of N. Y., i. p. 423. 



Scomber grex, Thimble-eyed, Bull-eyed, or Chub Mackerel, MITCHILL, Trans. Lit. and Phil. Soc. of N. Y., I. p. 422. 



Le Maquereau printanier (Scomber vernalis, MITCH.), CUT. et VAL., vm. p. 48. 



Le petit Maquereau de fAtlantique (Scomber grex, MITCH.), Cuv. et VAL., vm. p. 45. 



Scomber grex et vernalis, Chub and Spring Mackerel, RICH., Fauna Boreal. Americ., HI. p. 81. 



" " " " " STOKER, Report, p. 41. 



Scomber vernalis, Spring Mackerel, DEKAY, Report, p. 101. 

 Scomber grex, Fall Mackerel, DEKAT, Report, p. 103, pi. 11, fig. 32. 

 Scomber vernalis et grex, STOKER, Mem. Amer. Acad., New Series, 11. p. 342. 



" " " STOKEK, Synopsis, p. 90. 



Color. Upper part of the body of a dark-green color, marked throughout its whole 

 extent from the occiput to the tail with beautiful transverse, more or less undulating, 

 broken bands, of a deeper hue, commencing on the sides of the dorsal ridge, and extend- 

 ing downward below the lateral line. Top of head of a dark, almost black color, pro- 

 duced by longitudinal, broad, broken bands, passing backwards from the snout, and a 

 large black blotch extending backwards from the occiput towards the gill-covers. The 

 portion of the head directly back of the eyes cupreous. Gill-covers and maxillary bones 

 silvery. Intermaxillary bones dark-fuliginous, as well as the tongue and inside of the 

 jaws ; angle of jaws dusky. Sides white, with cupreous reflections. Abdomen white. 

 Beneath the lateral line, on each side, is a fuliginous, oftentimes interrupted line, much 

 wider than the lateral line, arising beneath the pectoral fin, and traversing the length 

 of the fish ; the space between these two lines is of a duller color than the side be- 

 neath. 



Description. Body elongated. Length of head almost equal to one sixth of the 

 length of entire fish. Eyes large, circular, their diameter equal to one half the distance 

 between them ; pupils black ; irides silvery. Eyes protected by a nictitating membrane. 

 Nostrils circular. Inferior margin of preoperculum marked by a row of minute mucous 

 pores, and a few are also seen on the posterior margin. Gape of mouth moderate. Jaws 

 and palatine bones armed with a single row of very minute teeth. 



The very narrow lateral line commences directly back of the humeral bone, on a 

 line above the origin of the pectoral fin, and pursues a gently undulatory course to the 

 base of the tail : this line, being slightly prominent, is very distinct. 



The first dorsal fin, composed of strong rays, of which the second and third are the 

 longest, arises on a line opposite the posterior half of the pectoral fins ; in some speci- 

 mens the membrane in this fin reaches to the top of the rays, in others the extremities 

 project as in the figure ; the length of this fin is hardly greater than its height. When 

 unexpanded, it is entirely concealed in a groove at its base. 



