FAMILY SCOMBRID.E — SCOMBER. 101 



I have not seen this species, and am indebted to Cuvier for the description and figure. It 

 appears along our southern shores, and I have tliought that it vs^ould not be unacceptable to 

 illustrate a genus of vrhich specimens may yet be found on the coast of New- York. 



The eighth family of Pharyngiens lahyrinthiformes, or Anabassid^e, has no representative 

 on our coast. 



FAMILY IX. SCOMBRID^. 



Vertical fins without scales. No spines nor denticulations on the opercle or preopercle. 

 Scales small, entire. 



Obs. This family embraces fifty-one genera, which at present include over four hundred 

 species. Among all the families of fishes, this is one of the most useful to man. 



GENUS SCOMBER. Cuvier. 



Dorsal fins two, widely separated. Finlets behind the dorsal and anal fins. Sides of the tail 

 raised into two small cutaneous crests. Scales uniformly small. 



THE SPRING MACKEREL. 



PLATE Xn. FIG. 34. 



Somber scomber ? Schcepff, Beobacht. Vol. 8. p. 168. 

 Spring Mackerel, S. vernalis. MiTCH. Tr. Lit. and Phil. Soc. Vol. 1, p. 423. 

 Xa Maquereau printanier. Cuv. et Val. Hist des Poiss. Vol. 8, p. 48, 

 Spring Mackerel, S. id. Storek, Report on Fishes of Mass. p. 41. 



Characteristics. With a dark spot at the base of the pectoral and ventral fins. Length 16 - IS 

 inches. 



Description. Body fusiform, cylindrical, its greatest depth near the ultimate rays of the 

 first dorsal. Scales very minute. Lateral line follows the dorsal outline, but is slightly irre- 

 gular in its course, and becomes nearly effaced towards the tail. Eyes large ; a nictitating 

 membrane, from the anterior and posterior part of the orbits, partially covers the eye. 

 Nostrils single, nearly equidistant between the eyes and the end of the nose. Lower margin 

 of the preopercle with a series of mucous pores. About fifty-five small recurved teeth on 

 each side of the lower jaw ; the anterior space edentate. On each intermaxillary there are 

 about forty very minute teeth, nearly concealed by a membrane. Tongue pointed, distinct 

 and black. There are slight asperities on the vomer, and very long, slender and flexible teeth 

 on the pharyngeals. Branchial rays delicate. Gill arches with two series of alternate tuber- 

 cles ; the first arch with long pectinated processes. 



The first dorsal rises over the ventrals, longer than high, and contains thirteen simple and 

 slender rays ; the first somewhat shorter than the second, which is longest ; thence gradually 



