SOUTHERN COAST FISHES. 39 1 



EPHIPPIID^. 

 Amgbl Fish. — Parephipptcs gigas. GUI. 



The form of this fish is sub-round, the dorsal outline much 

 arched. The back is dark, tinged with green ; sides and belly of 

 clouded silver ; length eighteen inches. Is taken with hook in 

 deep water in July. It feeds on small marine animals and fish. 

 Another variety (P. faber), has a body of lightest silver gri'syi 

 marked with six transverse bars. It is found on the coast in May 

 and June. Length nine inches. Esteemed as food. A %ood 

 food fish. 



SCOMBRID.E. 



Common Mackerel. — Scomber scomhrus. Linn. 

 Found as far south as Cape Hatteras. 



Chub Mackerel. — S. colias. Linn. 

 Light green on back with numerous undulating g^reen lines 

 passing down the sides, just crossing the lateral line ; dull bluish 

 beneath, with large round or oval blotches distributed irregularly 

 on the sides. Length one to two feet. Ranges as far south as 

 Hatteras. 



BoNlTO ; skipjaclc. — Sarda pelamys, Cuvier. 



Range extends to Florida. 



Spanish Mackerel. — Cybium tnaculafum. Cuvier. 



Body sub-cylindrical elongated ; silvery above, clouded with 

 bluish green ; sides and belly white with purple tints ; several 

 bright copper colored spots about a half inch in diameter, both 

 above and below the lateral line. Teeth long and sharp. Tail 

 bi-lobed — each lobe long, slender, and pointed ; fins yellowish. 

 It appears on the coast of the Carolinas in April and May, but is 

 rarely seen in the summer months. It feeds on a variety of small 

 fish and runs in schools. Taken often with a trolling line and a 

 bluefish rig, though it is a very capricious fish, and will frequently 

 take no notice of the lure, although there may be thousands of fish 

 in sight, Spawns on the Delaware coast and in Albemarle Sound. 



