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CHAPTER VII. 



THE TUNNY FISHERY. 



Tunny fishery in the Mediterranean — Size the fish attains — Description of a 

 " madrague " — Statistics of the Italian fishery — Definition of terms used — 

 Scabeccio, or tunny preserved in oil — Salted tunny — Fishery at Tunis and 

 Algeria. 



The tunny {Thynmis vulgaris, Cuv.) is a common fish in 

 the Mediterranean, and has been known and celebrated 

 from the remotest antiquity. The Mediterranean is, of all 

 the seas, that least abundant in variety of fish, only nourish- 

 ing about 440 species. 



In Sicily the tunny forms one of the most considerable 

 branches of the commerce of the island. In France it is 

 much used, and is cooked in a variety of ways. It is 

 frequently taken on the Atlantic coast, but must be con- 

 sidered a wanderer from more southern latitudes, and is 

 there known by its popular name of " horse mackerel and 

 albicore." In America its flesh is not held in estimation. 



On the shores of the Mediterranean Sea it is found in 

 great abundance, and forms one of the chief sources of 

 wealth of the seaside population. The flesh is highly 

 esteemed, and eaten both fresh and salted. It is exten- 

 sively used in the Italian countries, pickled in various 

 ways, boiled down in soups, and made into pies, which are 

 thought to be very excellent, and possess the valuable 



