160 SCOMBERID.E. 



two were caught in one net,) and those described by other 

 authors, is easily explained by what is known to occur in 

 reference to other species. The Tunny, like the Pompilus, 

 is beautifully variegated in the Mediterranean Sea ; but with 

 us both of them assume an intense black." 



" The great strength and velocity of this fish have been 

 spoken of in terms of admiration by several authors ; and the 

 larger individual above mentioned, that fell into the hands 

 of my friend Mr. Jackson, of East Looe, afforded a corrobora- 

 tion of the truth of the observation. It was caught in a net 

 set for Salmon, at the mouth of the river, in the last week 

 in November 1 830 ; and such was the force with which it 

 struck the bottom of the net, that it carried it before it over 

 the head-rope. Jago found oreweed in the stomachs of his 

 fishes ; Ruysch says they feed on seaweed, though chiefly 

 on flesh ; and in my own specimen were found a muscle 

 without a shell, and a piece of a Sea Bream Pagellus cen- 

 trodontus, both, as I suppose, snatched as bait from the 

 fishermen's hooks, but was captured baited with the lask or 

 slice cut from the side of a Mackerel. 11 



Cuvier and M. Valenciennes appear to believe that the 

 two fishes they have designated by the terms C. pompilus 

 and C . morio are only different states of the same species ; 

 and the descriptions and remarks of different authors in re- 

 ference to the colour, as well as other particulars of specimens 

 taken in the Mediterranean Sea, and in the ocean on the 

 western coast of Europe, go far to confirm their view : the 

 two names have therefore been brought together at the head 

 of this subject. 



The representation of this fish is derived from Mr. Couch's 

 drawing of .the smaller specimen of the two examples recorded 

 by him. 



The number of fin-rays in several specimens as stated by 



