224 :NriPCELLA.NEA. 



turning very dark, with reddish patches of colour shining from 

 beneath ; the sides and belly silvery, shev^ing prismatic colouring 

 when fresh like the Mackerel. There are nine finlets between 

 the last dorsal and the tail, and eight between the anal and caudal 

 fins. These were of pale lemon colour when first seen. There 

 is an expanded ridge on each side of the body near the tail. 



Through the liberality of Mr. Clift the specimen was presented 

 to the Nat. Hist. Soc, and will, when the preservation of it is 

 finished, be exhibited in the fish collection of the Museum. 



From a statement in the preceding note it will be inferred that 

 this individual is one of the largest captured in recent times. 

 There appear at least to be no records of such a large Tunny 

 having been caught in the ITorth Sea before. 



As the Tunny is an oceanic fish, ranging from the coasts of the 

 British Isles to Tasmania, the surprise is that it has not before (that 

 I am aware) been recorded as a visitor to this coast. The three 

 mentioned by Donovan as having been captured in the estuary of 

 the Thames being the only mention that can be referred to at 

 present.. 



Since the above was written I find it stated, on the authority 

 of Mr. Paget, that small specimens are not unfrequently caught 

 during the Mackerel (? Herring) fishing at Yarmouth. 



It is, says Dr. Gunther, one of the largest fishes of the ocean, and 

 attains to a length of ten feet and a weight of one thousand pounds, 

 and thus estimating the weight of the present specimen by this rule 

 it must have been, as conjectured by the fishermen, between six 

 or seven hundred pounds. Pennant states that a fish measuring 

 seven feet ten inches weighed four hundred and sixty pounds. 



The Tunny resorts to the Mediterranean and the Black Sea to 

 spawn in the months of September and October, entering through 

 the Straits of Gibraltar about that time. On the coasts of the 

 Mediterranean, as is well known, the fishing for Tunny is carried 

 on systematically, and has been prosecuted from the remotest 

 antiquity. Its flesh is extensively eaten on the coasts it fre- 

 quents, either fresh or salted or dried. Its salted preparation 

 was esteemed by the Eomans, under the name of Saltamentwn 

 Sardieum , — II ichard Hoiose , 



