40 



to a central bar, and capable of being raised or closed like tlie slats 

 of a set of blinds. By means of this sucker, the Remora attaches 

 itself to a shark, a ship, or other floating object, and allows itself to 

 be carried wherever its host pleases, thus economizing labor. An 

 exam\)]e oi licmorajacobeea, which has seventeen to nineteen laminse 

 in its disk, was last year taken in the Bay of San Francisco from the 

 body of a shark, which it had accompanied in its wanderings. The 

 larger Echeneis naucrates has also occurred at San Francisco. 



FAM. SCOMBRID.'E. 



All the true Scombridse have a greater or less number of finlets 

 l^ehind the soft dorsal and soft anal, each finlet consisting of a single 

 ray followed bj^ a membrane of triangular shape. 



There is little to separate them from the CarangkhT, except the 

 non-protractile mouth ; and one genus bridges over this difference. 

 All are oceanic and swim in large schools. 



Scomber ]meumato2)horus, Spanish Mackerel — This species is known 

 also as Easter Mackerel, and Little Mackerel, and occurs from Mon- 

 terey Bay soutliward, coming up in irregular and often large schools 

 in summer and fall. It is occasionally sent to the markets of San 

 Francisco. It does not exceed fourteen inches in length. 



Scomher scombras, Mackerel — There is little doubt of the occur- 

 rence of this fish upon the southern part of the California coast, 

 although Professor Jordan did not see it. Captain Charles Willughby, 

 Indian Agent at Neah Bay, and formerly a Massachusetts mackerel 

 fisher, gave information that he once netted a school of Eastern 

 mackerel off Catnlina Island; and a fisherman at Santa Barbara 

 claimed to have taken it off Anacapa Island. 



Scomberomorus concolor — This species is here called the Spanish 

 Mackerel, is very rare, is held in high repute, and fetches a high price. 

 It may be known bj'^ its slim form, and toothless palate. This is the 

 CJiriomitra concolor of my previous report. The nearest of kin to 

 this fish is the Cybium maculatus of the Atlantic Coast. 



La Cepedes's name Scomberomorus has precedence of Cybium, and as 

 *S'. maculaius has the palate toothless, our Spanish Mackerel must be 

 included in the same genus. Minute papillffi upon palate and other 

 parts of the internal surface of mouth and gill-cavity are possessed 

 by both species, but the only true teeth are those in the jaws. 



Sarda chilensis, Bonito, Skip-jack — This is not identical with the 

 European bonito, although it belongs to the same genus. It was first 

 described from Chili, and is knowii to occur along our coast as far 

 north as Monterey Bay. In the summer it is very abundant, and is 

 taken in great numbers by trolling, especially about Santa Barbara 

 and San Uiego. Many are salted and dried, but the flesh is rather 

 coarse, and is considered inferior to the Barracuda and Yellow-tail. 

 Some persons aver that it makes them sick. It reaches an average 

 weight of about twelve pounds, and sells at about twenty-five cents 

 in the localities wliere it is taken. About iVugust it becomes abun- 

 dant in the markets of San Francisco, so much so, that it frequently 

 cannot be sold while fresh. 



Orcynus alalonga, Albicore — This is one of those widely spread 

 species which confound the ])e3t efforts of naturalists who have not 

 had abundant opportunity for comparison. As Tliynnus j^acificus, 

 this species was described by Cuvier, and Valenciennes, and again, 



