234 THE MACKREL. 



It is to be regretted, that the mackrel, though perhaps 

 the moft palatable of all the gregarious fillies, is leaft ufe- 

 ful, owing to its extreme tendernefs, and inaptitude for 

 carriage : It is capable, indeed, of being preferved by 

 pickling and faking; a method, which we are furprifed to 

 find is only praftifed in Cornwall, where this food proves 

 a great relieve to the poor during winter *. 



The ancient Romans were juft to the merits of this 

 fiih ; for among them it was held in high efteem, efpe- 

 cially on account of the garum, a celebrated pickle, that 

 gave a high relilh to their fauces, befides being medici- 

 nally ufeful f . According to Belon, this precious pickle 

 is ftill in fafliion at Conjiantinople. Formerly it was pre- 

 pared fronn difFerent kinds of fifhes \ but that procured 

 from the mackrel was deemed preferable : The beft was 

 made at Carthagcna, vail quantities of mackrel being ta- 

 ken near an adjacent ifle, called from that circumftancc 

 Scomhraria J. 



The mackrel is eafily taken, by a variety of baits ; but 

 the capture always fucceeds befl; during a gentle gale of 

 wind : a coloured feather, or a piece of fcarlet cloth, is 

 often found fufficient to allure thefe dim-fighted animals 

 to deftrudlion. In fpring their eyes are covered v/ith a 

 white film, which renders them half blind, till it is caft 

 fomc time in the fammer. 



This fidi is probably found in all the Kttropean fe^s, 

 being univerfally known in that quarter of the globe. It 

 feldom exceeds two pounds weight in the common fpecies, 

 and its body is of a very elegant form, and beautifully 



variegated 



* Borlafes Cornwall, p. 269. f Plinii, Lib. xxxi. cap. 8.- 



^ Strabo, Lib. iii. p. 109. 



