CII 



and are then known as large No. 3's. By the 28th of May 

 the spawn is fully developed, and deposited by the first of 

 June. About the first of July young Mackerel, not more 

 than two and one-half inches in length, are abundant in 

 the Bay. These young Mackerel, in the latter part of Oc- 

 tober, are about six inches in length, and he has caught and 

 packed and sold them as " No. 4 Mackerel." They leave 

 the coast earlier in Autumn than the older ones. The 

 large Mackerel, which appear first, as before stated, are 

 followed by the arrival of small ones, on our coast north of 

 Cape Cod about the 15th of June. These are known in the 

 market as " Blinks,' 7 and are from last year's eggs. " Tink- 

 ers," are of two years growth; "Half-Size," are three years 

 old, those older are called "Large ones." When Mackerel ar- 

 rive on the coast, being lean, they are all designated as " No. 

 3's," but as they feed and improve in condition they are 

 called " No. 2's," and when fat, are marked " No. 1," pro- 

 vided that they are thirteen inches long : but if less than 

 thirteen and over eleven, then they are " No. 2's" if fat ; 

 all under eleven inches are marked as " small No. 3's," 

 whether fat or poor. Adult Mackerel of four years, or more, 

 are the only ones which spawn on our coast, and they will 

 not take the hook until they have deposited their spawn, 

 when they become lean and voracious. Formerly it was 

 supposed that the large Mackerel, which first appear in 

 Provincetown harbor, had passed the winter in the mud, 

 and many persons would not eat them owing to their sup- 

 posed muddy taste. These large Mackerel go further north 

 than the smaller ones, returning southward long after the 

 others have left the coast, and are even captured in No- 

 vember and December in the vicinity of Provincetown. 

 Capt. A. was convinced that the Scomber grex was the 

 young of the S. vernalis, Mitchill, and not a distinct spe- 

 cies. 



After giving an interesting account of the various 

 modes of capturing the Mackerel at different times of the 

 year, Capt. A. alluded to the Bluefish and the changes 

 which had taken place in its habits. This fish, which 

 many years ago, was very abundant, and held in high es- 

 timation by the Aborigines of our country, wholly disap- 

 peared from our coast in 1764, and not a specimen was 



