220 FISHES OF THE FIRTH OF FORTH. 



wards of ten thousand of these fish were taken by a foot 

 sean near Marazion. They frequently come so near the 

 shore as to enable persons to take them by hand. On Wed- 

 nesday evening another shoal appeared, when a number of 

 men, women, and children, went into the water to catch 

 them, while others stood on the sand to see them throw the 

 fish on shore ; and by this means a vast quantity were ob- 

 tained. The young keep near the shore after the larger 

 fish have retired to deep water. 1 '' 



The horse-mackerel is said to spawn in the month of June, 

 and has been found as far north as off' the coast of Denmark. 

 The flesh is considered by some as inferior food, by others, 

 as far superior to that of the mackerel ; it is firm, of good 

 flavour, and wholesome, and is in best season in March 

 and April. 



The large imbricated spinous plates forming the lateral 

 line, will distinguish this species from the rest of the Bri- 

 tish fishes. 



Genus ZEUS. Dorsal fin one ; ventrals thoracic ; body 

 oval, compressed. 



Zeus faber.* — The Dory. 



Description. — From a specimen a foot in length. Body oval, much 

 contracted at the base of the tail ; sides and cheeks greatly compress- 

 ed ; head large, one-third of the entire length including the caudal fin. 

 Colour of the body olive grey, tinged with yellow ; in the middle of 

 the side a large black spot with a whitish circle ; ventrals darker than 

 the other fins ; dorsal fin divided in the middle by a deep notch, ap- 

 pearing at first as if it were two fins ; the anterior part spinous and 

 the rest soft, commencing in a line over the base of the pectorals, 

 and ending within a short distance of the base of the caudal fin ; the 

 first ray shorter than the second ; the third, fourth, and fifth, nearly 

 of equal height ; the intervening membranes of the spiny rays about 



* Zeus faber, Linn., Cuv., Varr., Jen., Penn., Don., Flem., Bloch ; Dory, 

 John Dory. 



