586 



PILOT MACKREL. 



Scomber Ductor. Si argenteo-cxrulescenSffasciis quatuor tram* 

 versis mruleis, sp'mis dorsalibus quatuor > cauda nigro-fasciata. 



Silvery-blueish MackreL, with four transverse blue bands, four 

 dorsal spines, and tail barred with black. 



Scomber Duetor. Block. ■ Gasterosteus Ductor. Lin. 



General shape that of a Tunny, but with a much 

 blunter or shorter head : length about eighteen 

 inches : colour blue above, and silvery on the sides 

 and abdomen : scales small : body crossed by four 

 broad blue bands, the first commencing at some 

 distance beyond the gills, and the last crossing the 

 extremity of the body: tail strongly forked, each 

 lobe marked obliquely by a broad black band : 

 dorsal fin single, pale, commencing at a consider- 

 able distance from the head, and reaching nearly to 

 the tail : before its commencement are situated 

 four strong, short, separate spines : anal fin pale, 

 and continued nearly to the tail : on each side the 

 base a projecting lamina with serrated edges ; but 

 no finlets either above or below : native of the 

 American and Indian seas : often observed swim- 

 ming near or before sharks, and hence sometimes 

 called by the name of the Pilot, 



