THE MACKEREL Vdb 



from six to seven feet in length, and weighing as much 

 as eiglity pounds. Each vessel employed in the fishery 

 sends, on an average, thirty thousand cod to Europe, 

 and we know how large is the number of vessels en- 

 gaged in the trade. 



Many other fish furrow the vast extent of ocean on 

 every hand, swim in innumerable legions along the 

 coast, or hide themselves in the deeps, where the 

 calm promises them greater security. The mackerel 

 is of all the most cosmopolitan. This popular favourite 

 visits every year the coasts of Norway ; it abounds in 

 the markets of Germany and of England during the 

 summer (the season at which it swarms in the North 

 Sea and the Baltic) ; it is found in equal plenty on 

 tlie coasts of Iceland, of Ireland, and of Spain in the 

 Mediterranean. It is fished by the inhabitants of 

 the Canary Isles, in the neighbourhood of nearly all 

 the American islands, and even at Japan and Suri- 

 nam. It disapt^ars every year at a certain time, 

 retiring far from the surface to return again in the 

 spring. The mackerel, we may observe, in conclu- 

 sion, is a great feeder ; it is so voracious that it w^ill 

 not hesitate to attack animals larger than itself; the 

 shoals of small fish which keep in general near the 

 coast are, however, its great resource. 



Small fish which travel in shoals or immense herds 

 are next to defenceless. If the centre of the nuuss is 



