FOOD PRODUCTS OF THE SEA — FISHES. 291 



barrels in 1804, to 385,000 barrels in 1831. In the next 

 ■ ten years it declined to 50,000. The scale has since been 

 fluctuating, being for 1880 about 150,000. This account 

 is only of salt mackerel, and is not appreciably affected 

 by the use of pounds, weirs, and traps, all caught thus 

 not exceeding 5,000 barrels yearly, most of which are 

 consumed fresh. The number of barrels used in this 

 way, in 1876, was for the whole United States but 27,000. 

 Evidently causes different from mere methods of capture 

 must account for the partial disappearance of mackerel, 

 and much is yet to be learned as to this valuable but 

 singular fish, upon whose migratory movements so many 

 depend for a living. In early spring they strike the 

 coast of Virginia, moving northward in immense shoals, 

 visiting successively Cape May, Sandy Hook, Block 

 Island, Cape Cod, and various points as far as Labrador. 

 Captain N. E. Atwood, in illustration of the vicissitudes 

 of mackerel fishing, states that with the help of a boy he 

 has caught in one night off Cape Cod 2,050 fish, and the 

 next night 3,520 ; but on another trip he fished all the 

 way from the Grand Bank to the Azores and caught 

 only one mackerel ! 



The mackerel is much esteemed, its flesh having an 

 excellent flavour, but it is fat and not easily digested. 



Mullet. — There are several kinds of mullet. Those 

 principally seen in the markets are the grey mullet 

 {Mugel capita), an excellent fish, and the red mullet 

 (Mtillm surmulletus). The grey mullet is an estuary fish. 

 The name mullet is said to be derived from mullus, the 

 scarlet sandal or shoe worn by Roman consuls. This fish 

 is also termed the woodcock of the sea. 



The red mullet seldom come into the market with 

 their scales on, as the fishermen generally scrape them 

 off with their thumb nails immediately they are caught, 

 else the rich crimson hue invariably fades, but the bared 

 skin becomes brilliantly red. 



This fish is also called the striped surmullet, from the 

 circumstance that its bright red colour is relieved by 

 three longitudinal stripes of yellow. The fiesh is white. 



