320 FISHING IN AMERICAN WATERS. 



in a biting or a moving mood they rise to the surface. Like 

 all sea fishes, the mackerel is more easily taken than fishes of 

 fresh waters. He foolishly dashes at whatever he sees before 

 him which he thinks will not devour him. But in this pecu- 

 liarity he does not differ from the royal salmon, which will 

 snap at flies when out of season, and evince the most culpable 

 rapacity when just returned from sea, even biting at an arti- 

 ficial minnow, or a fly unlike any thing in existence. 



THE MACKEREL. Scombridce Scomber. Linn. 



It would be difficult to find a fish more exquisite in form, 

 or more important in a commercial point of view, than the 

 common mackerel. It is also capricious in its movements. 

 It is not always to be depended on for visiting us in great 

 numbers, though it has never entirely deserted us for a sin- 

 gle season. It is in best condition on our shores in October. 

 Then it is most succulent, and orders for private tables should 

 be made of that month's catch. Catches early in the season 

 are lean. The catch of June is scarcely worth salting ; but 

 mackerel fatten fast, and by September are very good. Oc- 

 tober mackerel are preferable to those of any other month in 

 the year, for, as a singular fact in the nature of the fish, it be- 

 gins to deteriorate or lose condition in November. In gen- 

 eral, mackerel move away from shore gradually after the first 

 frost, and they finally settle off in soundings, not much influ- 

 enced by the cold weather along our shores. October is con- 

 sidered the closing month of the mackerel season ; but about 

 five years since, near the 1st of December, the fishermen of 

 New Providence, Massachusetts, were surprised by the sight 

 of the saltatory exploits on the bay of myriads of mackerel 

 leaping, shining, and gleaming in every direction. The boats 



