154 * rHE COMMON MACKREL. 



the assistance of persons stationed there, haul in each 

 end of the net till they come to the two poles. 

 The boat is then again pushed off towards the cen- 

 tre of the net, in order to prevent the more vigorous 

 fish from leaping over the corks. By these means, 

 three or four hundred fish are often caught at one 

 haul*. 



Mackrel are said to be fond of human flesh. 

 Pontoppidan informs us that a sailor, belonging to a 

 ship lying in one of the harbours on the coast of 

 Norway, went into the water to wash himself; 

 when he was suddenly missed by his companions. 

 In the course of a few minutes, however, he was 

 seen on the suriace with vast numbers of these fish 

 fastened on him. The people went in a boat to his 

 assistance : and though, when they got him up, they 

 forced with some difficulty the fishes from him, 

 they found it was too late ; for the poor fellow, very 

 shortly afterwards, expired f. 



The roes of the Mackrel are used in the Medi- 

 terranean for Cavier. The blood and slime are first 

 washed off with vinegar, and the sinews and skinny 

 parts taken away. They are then spread out for a 

 short time to dry, and alterwards salted and hung 

 up in a net, to drain some of the remaining moisture 

 from them. When this is finished they are laid in 

 a kind of sieve till thoroughly dry and fit for use. 

 In Cornwall, and on several parts of the Continent, 



* For this communication I am indebted to the kind attentions of 

 John Stackhouse, Esq. F. L. S. of Hendarvis in Cornwall, 

 -r Pontoppidan, part ii. 135. 



