362 TUNNY MACKREL. Class IV. 



On perceiving it, a strong hook baited with a 

 herring, and fastened to a rope, is instantly 

 flung out, which the Tunny seldom fails to take. 

 As soon as hooked, it loses all spirit, and after a 

 very little resistance, submits to its fate. It is 

 dragged to the shore and cut up, either to be 

 sold fresh to people who carry it to the country 

 markets, or is preserved salted in large casks. 



The pieces, when fresh, look exactly like raw 

 beef; but when boiled turn pale, and have some- 

 thing of the flavor of salmon. 



One, which was taken when I was at Invera- 

 ray in 1769, weighed 460 pounds. It was seven 

 Descrip- feet ten inches long ; the greatest circumference 

 five feet seven ; the lest near the tail one foot six 

 inches. The body was round and thick, and grew 

 suddenly very slender towards the tail, and near 

 that part was angular ; the irides were of a pale 

 green ; the teeth very minute ; the first dorsal 

 fin consisted of thirteen strong spines, which, 

 when depressed, were so concealed in a deep 

 sulcus in the back, as to be quite invisible till 

 very closely inspected ; immediately behind this 

 fin was another, high and falciform ; almost op- 

 posite to it, was the anal fin, of the same form ; 

 the spurious fins were of a rich yellow color ; 

 of these there were eleven above, and ten be- 



TION. 



