SALIENT MACKREL. 



585 



scales; the remainder of the fish presenting only 

 the appearance of a smooth, silvery skin : finlets 

 seven above, and six txelow : on each side the base 

 of the tail a projecting lamina, as in the preceding 

 kinds : native of the Mediterranean, and in some 

 esteem as a food. 



SALIENT MACKREL. 



Scomber Saliens. S. argenteus, dorso viridi-cceruleo, spinis 



quatuor armato, pinnulis supra infraque octo. 

 Silvery Mackrel, with blue-green back armed with four spines, 



and eight pinnules above and below. 

 Scomber saliens. Block. 



Similar in shape to the Tunny: length about 

 eighteen inches : colour darkish blue on the back, 

 and silvery on the sides and abdomen : fins pale, 

 with a yellowish cast : tail dusky, and strongly 

 forked : before the dorsal fin four very strong 

 separate spines : a single spine at the base of each 

 pectoral fin, and two very strong separate ones be- 

 fore the ventral fin : finlets eight both above and 

 below : lateral line pretty strongly marked : no 

 projecting lamina on each side the base of the tail ; 

 native of the American seas : is a strong fish, 

 swimming rapidly, and occasionally springing with 

 considerable force out of the water, and escaping 

 out of the nets thrown for it : in considerable esteem 

 as a food. 



