33 



resentative on this coast of the family SpJiyrsenidse, which consists of 

 the single genus Spcehyrna. 



SCOMBRID^. 



The five following species belong to this family, as defined by the older writers, including the 

 Stromateicla; , Carangida-, and other tribes not represented here. None of them are caught, 

 except rarely, near San Francisco, and most are liighly prized, both on account of their rarity 

 and their qualitj^. In all the scales are very small and smooth, or are absent ; the color is steely 

 blue, lighter below, and the caudal is broadly bilobate. The three first noticed are true Scom- 

 hridce, and have several small finlets behind the dorsal and anal fins. 



Scomber colias, Spanish Mackerel — The Scomber diego described by 

 Ayres (Proceedings California Academy of Science, vol. 1, 1857, p. 92) 

 has been proved by Steindachner to be identical with the long known 

 Scomber colias or Spanish mackerel of the European seas. Steindach- 

 ner states that it occurs frequently on the coast of the Galapagos 

 Islands, and wanders in small shoals along the Californian coast as far 

 as San Diego, also that single individuals occur near San Francisco. 

 Thus this species and Albula vulpes are among the few fishes which 

 inhabit both the Atlantic and the Pacific Oceans. On one occasion 

 only, in April of the present year, I found this species in the 

 market in tolerable abundance, and it has again occurred in Septem- 

 ber. Those which were then exposed for sale were small, not above 

 eight inches long, and came from Monterey Bay. The identity of 

 Ayres' Scomber diego with Scomber colias has been confirmed by a com- 

 parison of Ayres' original specimen with the diagnosis given by Giin- 

 ther. (Catalogue of Fishes, British Museum, II). 



From the two succeeding species this may be readily known by the 

 presence of only five finlets behind the dorsal and anal fins; by the 

 spinous dorsal of seven spines; and by the irregular reticulated dark 

 lines upon the back. 



Sarda lineolata, Girard — This, like all the Pacific Coast Scom- 

 bridae, is not very often brought to the markets of San Francisco, 

 except in September and October. They are usually caught in Mon- 

 terey Bay. 



Giinther (Cat-fish, British Museum, II, 368) considers this species 

 to be identical with the Pelamys chilensis of Cuv. and Val. It 

 attains a considerable size, a series of four specimens lying on the 

 stalls measuring respectively two feet, two and a quarter inches ; two 

 feet, two and three-quarter inches; and two feet, three and a half 

 inches, from tip of snout to fork of caudle fin. The caudle fin can- 

 not be said to be crescentic, as stated by Girard, since its posterior 

 margin form two sides of an obtuse isosceles triangle. The sides and 

 belly are silvery, becoming bluish-black towards and on the back, 

 and five or six obliquely longitudinal bands of the darker tint run 

 along the sides. 



From November to the end of May this species has not occurred 

 in the markets. Appearances indicate that this and some other 

 Scomberoids take a run northwards in the autumn, and thus reach 

 the San Francisco markets from Monterey. The patch of larger 

 scales behind the pectoral fin, and the oblique, darker streaks upon 

 the sides of the body, serve to distinguish this species from the suc- 

 ceeding one, but the dealers distinguish them also by the texture of 

 the flesh, which is softer in this species than in Chriomitra concolor. 

 The first dorsal has eighteen spines, and there are eight finlets behind 

 the dorsal, and seven behind the anal. 

 5'' 



