,?•> 



DOTTED MACKAREL. S 



length than the old Mackarel, the measurement being two and 

 three fourths deep, by fifteen seven sixteenths, or as one to 

 five and a half; the one three and one fourth by fifteen and 

 five eighths, or not quite one in five; and this is remarkable, 

 as your example was a female, and the roc large, as the time 

 (July Gth.,) Avould of itself indicate. The mouth in your fish 

 appears to be smaller, the angle of the gape not placed so far 

 back, and the superior maxillary bone is shorter and broader. 

 The posterior edge of the preoperculam is more rounded, — 

 in our ]Mackarel the lower two thirds of this edge is almost 

 a straight and perpendicular line; the anterior portion of the 

 lateral line appears to be more strongly marked." To this 

 may be added, that the adult Common Mackarel is distinguished 

 from its younger condition by a dusky mottled line, which 

 runs along the side and separates the lateral line from the 

 belly. Nothing of this sort was found in this fish, though of 

 full growth and large with spawn. In reply to my suggestion 

 of a name, Mr. Yarrell said, "Scomher punctatus would be an 

 excellent name for it, as referring at once to its most obvious 

 external markings." 



