THE MACKREl. 233 



Pursues herrings Emits a phosphoric light. 



is more easily obtained there than in the ocean. 

 Anderson and several others assert, that in winter 

 it inhabits the Northern ocean, and that in Spring^ 

 like the herring, it passes the coasts of Iceland, 

 Scotland, and Ireland, where the shoal divides 

 into two bodies, one of which repairs to the 

 Spanish seas, and the other to the coasts of Hol- 

 land and the Baltic. In this case the mackrel 

 would have to make a longer voyage than the 

 herring; for it is found -even in Egypt, Japan, at 

 Surinam, and about all the islands of North and 

 South America. 



To some nations the mackrel fishery is an ob- 

 ject of considerable importance. In June and 

 August the .Dutch markets abound with this fish, 

 and during the whole summer it is extremely 

 plentiful in those of England, but particularly iii 

 the month of June, which is the time of spawn- 

 ing. As the mackrel is fat and soon spoils, it is 

 the only fish permitted to be sold publicly in this 

 country on Sundays. In Norway, it appears in 

 vast quantities in the spring, to the no small 

 mortification of the fishermen, as it pursues the 

 herrings with the utmost avidity, and frequently 

 frightens them away : indeed, their voracity has 

 scarcely any bounds. 



This fish emits a phosphoric light when fresh 

 from the sea ; it soon dies when taken out of the 

 water, and even in the water, if it advance with 

 too much impetuosity against the net. It is 

 caught with that instrument, or with a hook 



VOL. v. NO. 35. 2 G 



