96 
SCANDINAVIAN FISHES. 
Length of the body in millimetres 
„ „ „ head % of the length of the body 
Height „ „ first dorsal fin ,, „ „ „ „ „ „ „ 
55 5 5 55 55 55 5 ’ 55 55 55 5 5 55 55 55 head - 
„ „ „ second „ „ „ ,, „ ,, „ „ body.. 
55 55 55 55 .5 55 5. 55 55 55 55 55 55 head.. 
„ 5, anal „ „ „ „ „ „ „ „ body 
Length „ „ pectoral „ „ „ „ „ „ „ „ „ 
„ 55 5. ventral ,, „ „ „ „ „ „ „ „ 
Greatest depth of the body „ „ „ „ „ „ „ ,, 
Diameter of the eye „ „ „ „ „ „ „ head... 
„ „ „ „ „ „ „ „ „ „ „ snout 
Distance from the first dorsal fin to the tip of the snout in % of the length of the body 
Length of the head in % of the distance from the first dorsal fin to the tip of the snout ... 
Distance from the second dorsal fin to the tip of the snout in % of the length of the body 
Length of the head in % of the distance from the second dorsal fin to the tip of the snout. 
Distance from the anal fin to the tip of the snout in % of the length of the body. 
Distance from the ventral fins to the tip of the snout in % of the length of the body. 
782 
27.5 
14.0 
51.1 
9.9 
36.3 
7.i 
14.1 
10.8 
26.8 
32.0 
86.0 
61.1 
45.o 
65.7 
488 
27.5 
13.i 
47.7 
13.3 
11.0 
24.6 
14.2 
51.3 
31.1 
88.1 
61.1 
45.0 
65.1 
29.3 
Average. 
635 
27.5 
13.5 
49.4 
13.7 
10.9 
25.7 
31.5 
87.0 
61.1 
45.o 
65.4 
The back is a bright steel-blue with a greenish 
and reddish gloss. The belly silvery with several longi- 
tudinal brown bands, generally four, but sometimes 
five or six, on each side, which run parallel to each other 
from the front of the belly to the posterior part of the 
lateral line, the caudal fin and the lower margin of 
the tail. 
The Bonito “ is one of the fishes most often observed 
within the tropics. Like the large Tunnies and the 
Dolphins ( Corypluena) but with even greater eagerness, 
it hunts the Flying-fish, and in pursuit of its prey 
often leaps high out of the water. We also know that 
it sometimes hunts the Cuttle-fish. Its flesh is eaten, 
“though it is dry enough”, writes Osbeck; and it is 
caught m the following manner: “A small fish is fa- 
shioned of tin or lead and fastened to a large hook. 
On opposite sides of the hook are fixed the tips of 
a pair of feathers to imitate a flying-fish; another 
pair of feathers are used to represent the caudal fin. 
The line is passed through the head of this imitation 
fish, and taking his seat on the bowsprit or some 
other part of the vessel, the fisherman waves the bait 
to and fro above the water with his rod, till the fish 
bites. The Bonito is also struck with the harpoon”. 
Within the tropics the Bonito is spread all round 
the world, and in the temperate seas it goes at least 
as far as round the Cape of Good Hope. In Japan it 
is caught in great numbers and as an article of food 
is in much request. In the Mediterranean it is appa- 
rently rare, as off the coasts of England and the east 
coast of North America. Here in the North its food 
consists principally of Herrings, Anchovies and Sauries. 
It was probably in pursuit of the herring-shoals that 
it wandered in 1873 into the Cattegat, where a speci- 
men was taken near Oroust on the 13th of October, 
and another off Varberg in September, 1875, the only 
ttvo Bonitos as yet known to have been caught in Scan- 
dinavian waters. Both have been described by Malm. 
Subgenus ORCYNUS. 
Body behind the corslet covered with scales. Height of the anterior dorsal fin equal to or less than the length of 
the snout and {in adult specimens) less than the height of the posterior dorsal. Height of the anal fin {in 
adult specimens ) equal to or greater than the length of the ventral fins , which is less than 2 / 3 {from 50 % to 60 % 
at most ) of that of the pectoral. Length of the head at least half the distance from the tip of the snout to the 
posterior dorsal fin. Eyes small. Small, but numerous, cardiform teeth on the palatine bones ancl the vomer. 
Hcemapophyses of the caudal vertebrce normal in form and structure. 
The Greeks gave the Tunny the names of &vr- (Athen.). As the first name was first employed sy- 
vo q (Aristot.), 'Ooxt'rog (/Elian.) and Mehhd'gvq stematically by Fabricius among the Hymenoptera, 
° “From the Spanish Bonito , beautiful”, says Osbeck. 
