156 THE THUNNY. 



light blue and pale purple. The tail is crescent- 

 shaped, with the tips far asunder ; and the spurious 

 fins between the dorsal fin and the tail (which 

 mark the species) are from eight to eleven in 

 number. 



On the coasts of Sicily, as well as in several 

 other parts of the Mediterranean, there are now 

 very considerable Thunny fisheries. The nets are 

 spread over a large space of sea by means of cables 

 fastened to anchors, and are divided into several 

 compartments. A man, placed upon the summit 

 of a rock high above the water, gives the signal of 

 the fish being arrived ; for he can discern from that 

 elevation what passes under the water much better 

 than any person nearer the surface. As soon as no- 

 tice is given that a shoal of fish has penetrated as far 

 as the inner compartment of the net, the passage is 

 drawn close, and the slaughter begins. 



The Thunny enters the Mediterranean about the 

 vernal equinox, travelling in a triangular phalanx, 

 so as to cut the waters with its point, and to present 

 an extensive base for the tides and currents to act 

 against, and impel forwards. 



They repair to the warm seas of Greece to spawn, 

 steering their course thither along the European 

 shores ; but as they return they approach the 

 African coast : the young fry is placed in the van 

 of the squadron as they travel. They come back 

 from the east in May, and abound about that time 

 on the coasts of Sicily and Calabria. In autumn 

 they steer northward, and frequent the neighbour- 

 hood of Amalphi and Naples. They are not un- 



