98 THE COMMERCIAL SEA FISHES OF 



to Kerry, but are not so abundant along the west as along 

 the east side of the island. Thompson observed in 1836 

 that in Newcastle, county Down, they were only taken at 

 the latter end of August, while ten miles to the south they 

 had appeared a month previously, this difference being of 

 annual occurrence. The best fishing on the north-east 

 coast commences about July. Rutty remarked that these 

 fish arrive off Dublin in May, and continue for three 

 months. 



The ordinary size of mackerel for the table is from 

 14 to 1 6 inches in length. Buckland remarked that in the 

 spring of 1879 he received one 18 inches long, and which 

 weighed 2 Ib. n oz. Mr. Cornish recorded one from 

 Penzance 18^ inches long, and 2 Ib. 8 oz. in weight ('Zoo- 

 logist/ 1876, p. 4931). Yarrell mentions one of 2% Ib. taken 

 at Poulton, in November, 1849, and an example 2 oz. more 

 caught off Hastings in 1856. 



\ . ' 



FAMILY VII. HORSE MACKERELS (Carangida). 



The young of many genera of fishes of this family have 

 the head variously armed, but this armature is absorbed 

 before they reach the adult age. 



Geographical distribution. From as far north as Den- 

 mark and Sweden, also through most of the temperate and 

 tropical seas of both hemispheres. 



GENUS i. Horse Mackerel (Caranx\ 



Considering the numerous species and varieties of form 

 which are found in the genus, it is not surprising that 

 many subdivisions of it have been proposed. The cha- 

 racters employed for this purpose have been the dentition, 

 the form of the fins, the serrations or the reverse of the 



