84 ACANTHOPTERYGII. 



Skand. Fisk. p. 128, t. xxix; Jenyns, • Man. p. 360; Yarrell, Brit. Fish. (Ed. 1) 

 i, p. 121, c. fig. (Ed. 2) i, p. 137 (Ed. 3) ii, p. 193; Templeton, Mag. Nat. Hist. 

 (2) 1837, i, p. 409; Parnell, Fish. Firth of Forth, p. 50; Johnston, Berwick. 

 Nat. Club. 1838, i, p. 171 ; Swainson, Fishes, ii, p. 238 ; Cuvier, Regne Anim. 

 111. Poiss. p. 29 ; Nordm. in Demid. Voy. Russ. Merid. iii, p. 391 ; White, Catal. 

 Brit. Fish. p. 29 ; Thompson, Nat. Hist. Ireland, iv, p. 92 ; Giinther, Catal. ii, p. 

 357 ; Schlegel, De Die "en Nederland, p. 5, pi. v, f. 1 ; Steind. Ich. Span. n. Port. 

 1868, p. 1 ; Collett, Norges Fiske, p. 43 ; A. Malm, CEfv. Ak. Forh. 1876, pi. v ; 

 Mcintosh, Fish. St. Andrew's, p. 173 ; Winther, Prod. Ich. Dan. 1879, p. 12. 



Scomber vulgaris, Flem. Brit. Anim. p. 217. 



Scomber vernalis, Mitchell, Trans. Lit. and Phil. Soc. New York, i, p. 423 ; 

 Cuv. and Val. viii, p. 48 ; Storer, Fish. Mass. p, 41 ; De Kay, New York Fanna, 

 Fish, p, 101, pi. xii, f. 34 ; Richards., Fann. Bor. Amer. Fish. p. 80. 



Cordylus scombrus, Gronov. ed. Gray, p. 163. 



Maharel and Dotted Makarel, Conch, Fish. Brit. Isles, ii, pp. 67 t 81, pi. lxxix 

 and lxxxi, fig. 1. 



Scomber punctatus, Conch, Zoologist, 1849, p. xxix, append, c. fig. and Pen- 

 zance, Nat. Hist. Soc. 184H, pi. iii, f . 1 ; White, Catal. Brit. Fish. p. 30 ; Yarrell, 

 Brit. Fishes (Ed. 3) ii, p. 207, c. fig. (variety). 



Scribbled mackarel, Couch, Fish. Brit. Isles, ii, p. 84, pi. lxxxi, fig. 2 and ? 

 pi. lxxx, fig. 2 (variety). 



B. vii, D. H-14/ T7 ^ TT + V, P. 17, V. 1/5, A. l/i T + V, C. 19, Vert. 14/17. 



Length of head 4^ to 4-g-, of caudal fin 6-^-, of pectoral fin 9^, height of body 

 5^- to 6 1-, in the total length. Eye — with broad adipose lids, the posterior 

 extending to over the hind third of the pupil and inferiorly being covered by the 

 anterior which does not reach to the iris, and is attached by its lower edge to the 

 sub-orbitals : diameter of eye 1/5 to 1/6 of the length of the head : 1-| diameters 

 apart : the length of the snout being equal to about one-third of that of the 

 entire head. Jaws of almost the same length anteriorly : the maxilla, which is 

 covered by the suborbital, reaches to beneath the middle of the orbit. Posterior 

 limb of preoporcle very oblique, causing the angle to appear somewhat produced. 

 Teeth — in a single row of rather sharp ones in the jaws, in a deciduous patch on 

 either side of the vomer, and in a single or double row on the palatines : a central 

 row of teeth at the base of the tongue. Fins — dorsal commences at the 

 beginning of the second third of the length of the body : spines weak, the second 

 and third the longest, from thence they decrease to the last. Second dorsal low, 

 and similar to the anal. Pectoral not quite half as long as the head : ventral one- 

 fourth shorter than the pectoral. A single, short, pre-anal spine between the 

 vent and the commencement of the anal fin. Caudal deeply forked. Scales 

 — minute, about twenty-one rows between the lateral-line and base of the 

 first dorsal fin : along the sides and lower surface of the abdomen, they become 

 nearly indistinguishable. Several rows below the eyes passing across the cheek. 

 Lateral-line — nearly straight. A keel along either side of the root of each lobe of 

 the caudal fin. Air-bladder — absent. Ccecal appendages — numerous. Colours — the 

 upper third of the body is of a beautiful green shot with blue, while the sides 

 and abdomen are radiant with gold, purple, and silvery shades. About thirty-five 

 V-shaped bands pass downwards from the back and terminate just below or on 

 the lateral-line : a dark stripe, sometimes interrupted, goes from the base of the 

 pectoral fin along the side a little distance below the lateral-line. A light yellow 

 colour behind the eye. Fins dark, and generally with a black white-edged outer 

 line. Or the body to just below the lateral-line, may be covered with small 

 black spots or scribbled markings. 



Donovan asserted that the males have straight transverse stripes, and the 

 females undulated ones, the correctness of which I have been unable to verify. 

 It has likewise been observed that the male has a more slender form and an 

 elongated gill-cover. 



Varieties. — The European forms of Scomber have been divided into (1) those 

 assessing an air-bladder, and (2) such as are deficient in this organ. Scomber 



