424 MITCHILL ON THE FISHES OF NEW-YORK. 



3. Horse Mackerel. (Scomber plumbeus.) With approximated ven- 

 tral fins, uniform leaden colour, variegated with greenish, and no finlets. 



A well-formed fish of about thirteen inches long, when grown, and 

 three inches deep ; weight nearly a pound, or about fourteen ounces. 



Mouth large. Gape wide. Lower jaw jutting beyond the upper, 

 and yet the lower teeth shutting within the upper. When the jaws are 

 closed, the upper teeth lap over the margin of the lower jaw. Eyes 

 large and yellowish white. 



Gill-covers smooth. Openings ample. Tail deeply forked. No 

 finlets or spurious fins. Colour of the head and body such that they 

 often call him blue-fish; it being of an ash, leaden, or dove, verging 

 toward white about the neck and belly, and interspersed faintly with 

 red or carnation. On the head and back shades of green, and some- 

 times of blue, by nice inspection. 



Jaws sharply toothed. Palate roughened with a patch of small teeth 

 on each side. Tongue smooth. A plenty of small and delicate scales 

 on the skin* Inky spots sometimes behind the pectoral fins, or rather 

 at their insertions. Two dorsal fins, whereof the first is faintly spinous, 

 and sinks into a furrow. 



Lateral line curved gently upward, and a longitudinal indentation 

 often perceptible below it. Ventral fins approximated at their base. 



Rays, Br. 7. P. 17. V. 6. D. 7—26. A. 26. C. 19. 



Is one of our most savoury fish ; and the young ones are taken 

 plentifully with the hook at our wharves, by the boys, in August. 



4. Pilot Fish. (Scomber ductor.) With silvery blue skin, diversified 

 by four transverse blue bands, four dorsal spines, and tail barred with 

 black. 



The companion of the shark, and well known already. 



5. Yellow Mackerel. (Scomber crysos.) 



Length six inches and a half; depth two. A neat, compact, hand- 



