Size. 
Defer, 
222 MAC CE KI RO ENTS Claims 
kinds of fifh, but that made from the mackrel had 
the preference: the beft was made at Carthagena, 
> 
vaft quantities of mackrel being taken near an adjaz » 
cent ifle, called from that circumftance, Scombraria*, 
and the Garum, prepared by a certain company in 
that city, bore a high price, and was diftinguifhed by 
the title of Garum Sociorum **. 
This fifh is eafily taken by a bait, but the beft 
time is during a frefh gale of wind, which is thence* 
called a mackrel gale. 
It is not often that it exceeds two pounds in weight, 
yet we heard that there was one fold laft fummer in 
London that weighed five and a quarter. 
The nofe is taper and fharp pointed: the eyes 
large: the jaws of an equal length: the teeth fmall, 
but numerous. 
The form of this fifh is very elegant. 
The body is a little compreffed on the fides: to- 
wards the tail it grows very flender, and a little an- 
gular. | 
The firft dorfal fin is placed a little behind the pec- 
toral fin, is triangular, and confiits of nine or ten 
{tiff rays; the fecond lies at a diftance from the other, 
and has twelve foft rays; the pectoral twenty; the 
ventral fix: at the bafe of the anal fin is a ftrone 
fpine. , 
Between the laft dorfal fin and the tail, are five 
{mall fins, and the fame number between the anal 
fin and the tail. 
* Strabo lib, iiie 109. 
** Plinii Lb. xxx. c. Be 
The 
