FAMILY SCOMBERIDJE; MACKEREL; TUNNY. 53 



obtains its insect prey, by shooting drops of water from its long 

 snout, so as to bring them down within its reach. Another fish 

 of the same family, called the Archer (Toxotes jaculator), will in 

 this manner shoot drops of water to the distance of three or four 

 feet, rarely missing its aim. These fish inhabit the seas around 

 Java ; and other species are found in different parts of the Indian 

 seas. 



614. The next family, SCOMBERID^E, or the Mackerel tribe, is 

 one of the greatest importance to Man, from the large supply of 

 wholesome and palatable food which it affords him. It consists 

 of a number of species varying considerably in size ; but distin- 

 guished by possessing a smooth skin, usually covered with a 

 multitude of small smooth scales ; and by having a 1 irge and 

 vigorous tail and caudal fin. They are divided into several 

 groups, according to the form of the fins, tail, &c. In the first 

 of these are associated the common Mackerel, the Tunny, and 

 others, which are distinguished by having the hinder rays of the 

 dorsal and anal fins separated into small fins. The Mackerel is 

 remarkable for the beauty of its colours, in which it is almost 

 pre-eminent among British fishes ; and for the rapidity with 

 which it dies and becomes tainted, when removed from the 

 water. The periodical appearance of large shoals of this fish 

 upon our coasts, was formerly imputed to its migration from 

 north to south. But many facts are opposed to this idea; and 

 there can be little doubt that it is an inhabitant of the deeper 

 parts of the seas around our island through the whole year, and 

 that its appearance on our coasts is solely due to its seeking the 

 shore, for the purpose of depositing its spawn. It is during the 

 months of May and June that this takes place ; and these months, 

 therefore, constitute the most active season for Mackerel fishing. 

 This fish is most abundant on the southern coasts of England ; 

 but instances have been mentioned, in which large shoals have 

 been met with even off the coast of Greenland. The Tunny is 

 a rare fish on the shores of Britain ; but it is very plentiful in 

 the Mediterranean, and has been known and celebrated from the 

 remotest period of antiquity, at which we have any mention of 

 Fish by particular names. It is a far larger and stouter fis.h 



