TUNNY. MULLET. 281 



The best time for catching them is during a fresh gale of 

 wind. The mackerel furnished the precious garum of the 

 Romans, and consequently was highly esteemed among 

 that people. This garum was a sort of pickle which gave 

 a high relish to sauces, and besides was supposed to possess 

 some medical powers. 



A particular species, called the horse-mackerel, and 

 generally known in Cornwall by the name of the scad, is 

 distinguished by having the lateral line aculeated. It 

 grows to the length of about sixteen inches, and pos- 

 sesses the flavour of the common kind. 



THE TUNNY. 



This fish is common in the Mediterranean and some 

 other seas ; and is also sometimes caught on the coasts of 

 our own island, particularly in the lakes on the western 

 side of Scotland. It sometimes grows to the length of 

 seven or eight feet ; and one caught in Inverary, in 1769, 

 weighed four hundred and sixty pounds. It has a rounded 

 and thick body, becoming gradually slender towards the 

 tail. The skin on the back is smooth, thick, and black, 

 with a tinge of blue or green ; the belly and half the sides 

 are of a silvery whiteness, shaded with cerulean or pale 

 purple. The scales are very minute, and the tail is shaped 

 like a crescent. 



The tunnies caught on our coasts are either sold fresh, 

 or salted and preserved in casks. When fresh, the pieces 

 have the appearance of raw beef; but when boiled turn 

 pale, and acquire something like the flavour of salmon. 

 They appear to have been well known to the ancients, 

 and to have constituted an important branch of commerce 

 among them. At present there are considerable fisheries 

 of them on the Sicilian coast, and in other parts of the 

 Mediterranean, where they are cured, and supply the in- 

 habitants with a valuable article of provision. 



THE MULLET. 



The head of this fish is almost square, and flat on the 

 top, the nose is blunt, the form of the body is pretty thick, 



