46 



Large schools were observed in March. This large and powerful 

 pelagic fish has been observed in the Mediterranean, on the east of 

 Norway, in the East Indies, on the coasts of Brazil and Cuba, and was 

 found in 1871 by Professor Baird in large numbers at Wood's Hole, 

 Mass., and several have since been taken on the shores of Southern New 

 England. It is highly valued for bait, but is the only large fish which 

 is not thought good to eat; though rather oily, I think it superior to 

 many of the Bermuda food-fishes. It attains the length of two feet and 

 a half. 



CAEANGIDJE. 



DECAPTEBUS PUNCTATUS, (Agassis) Gill. 

 Bound Bobin. 



Scomber hipjws, Mitchell, Amer. Mouth. Mag. 1818, 246 (not Linne"), (figured as "The 

 Hippos Mackerel," Trans. Lit. & Phil. Soc. N. Y. 1815, pi. 5, f. 5). 



Caranx punctatus, Agassiz, Selecta Gen. et Spec. Pise. Brasil, coll. Spix, 1829, 108, pi. 

 lvi a, f. 2.— Cuv. & Val.. Hist. Nat. Poiss. ix, 1833-38.— DeKay, New York 

 Fauna, Fish, 1842, 122, pi. 73, f. 123 (copied from Mitchill).— STOREK, Syn. Fish. 

 N. Am. 1846, 101.— Guxther, Cat. Fish. Brit. Mus. ii, 1861, 446. 



Decajrtenis punctatus, Gill, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila. 1862, 432 ; and iu Baird, Eep. on Sea 

 Fisheries of Southern New England, 1-73, 803. — Poey, Eep. Fis.-Nat. Cuba, ii, 

 1868, 368 (see, also, Mem. ii, 374). — Baird, Rep. on Sea Fisheries of Southern 

 New England, 1873, B25. 



Very common. This species ranges along the coast from Brazil to 

 Cape Cod, and has been seen at Cuba and Martinique. The Bound 

 Bobin is seined in great numbers iu Hamilton Harbor, in company with 

 the various species of Glupeidce and GerridcB, and is sold from row-boats 

 along the quay at the legal rate of four-pence a pound. The largest 

 measure six inches. '-Jigging robins" is a favorite amusement of the 

 little negroes. A few bread-crumbs are thrown over the dock, and the 

 little fish collect in such numbers that a line with a bare fish-hook 

 jerked rapidly through the group seldom fails to impale one or more. 

 The local name seems to be fanciful in origin ; at Barbados, it is given 

 to the allied species Decapterus macareUus, which perhaps also occurs 

 at the Bermudas. 



Color. — Above, olive-brown; beneath, white, with pearly reflections. 

 A golden stripe along the lateral line, studded with small black spots, 

 which cease at the commencement of the lateral plates. Eye yellow, 

 with black iris. 



