Chub Mackerel; Tinker Mackerel 



Chub Mackerel ; Tinker Mackerel 



Scomber japonicus Houttuyn 



This mackerel is widely distributed, occurring in both the 

 Atlantic and Pacific, north in the former to England and Maine, 

 and to San Francisco on our west coast. It is very common in 

 the Mediterranean and off southern California. 



The history of the chub mackerel on our Atlantic Coast 

 shows great variation in abundance. Up to about 1840 it was 

 apparently an abundant fish, but between 1840 and 1850 it seems 

 to have wholly disappeared from our coast. But in 1879 a con- 

 siderable school was seen at Provincetown. It again disappeared 

 in 1880, but is not rare at the present time. 



This is an excellent food-fish and has been regarded even as 

 superior to the common mackerel. 



Colour, blue with about 30 wavy, blackish streaks which reach 

 just below lateral line, some of these forming reticulations enclosing 

 pale spots; more than 20 black specks or mucous pores on base of 

 preopercle, generally arranged in more than I row; belly and sides 

 silvery, but always with roundish dusky spots or cloudings in the 

 adult; a black axillary spot. 



GENUS AUXIS 

 The Frigate Mackerels 



Body oblong, plump, mostly naked posteriorly, anteriorly 

 covered with small cycloid scales, those of the pectoral region 

 enlarged, forming a corselet; snout very short, conical, scarcely 

 compressed; mouth rather small, the jaws equal; teeth very 

 small, mostly in a single series, on jaws only; tail very slender, 



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