70 
MAOKAREl. 
and from the same authority; but in the last-named instance 
it has been disproved, and it is no less imaginary in reference 
to the hlackarel. 
Dr. Edmonson, in his view of the Zetland Islands, informs 
us that they only reach that coast in August, and continue no 
longer than about a month; and there are fui-ther proofs of 
the bounds within which they limit themselves, as well as 
the course they pursue, which is particularly pointed out by 
the time and manner of the fisheries which are carried on 
for the purpose of taking them. These we find to differ in 
time only, according to the manner in which the fishing is 
conducted, the adventurous spirit of the fishermen, or the 
distance of the place from that portion of the sea from which 
they are expected to come. Large numbers of boats, both 
French and English, from the eastmost and narrow parts of 
the British Channel, assemble at Plymouth early in the spring, 
for the purpose of seizing the occasion which the weather 
may afford them to shoot their nets at the entrance of the 
Channel; for, from experience, it is to the west, and not the 
east or north, they look for success. Risso says that this 
fishery is carried on at Nice in the spring; and Cuvier, that 
the season at AigUe Montes is in April, in Languedoc from 
June to August, at Fregus, in Provence, from May to 
October, and in the Black Sea and the Tauride it is in the 
spring as well as summer, when they are met in great schools 
coming from the Avest. They are not found to enter the Sea 
of Azof. 
Recurring again to the north we are informed that in the 
Baltic the Mackarel at all times are few, and of small size; 
but, according to Professor Nilsson, (“Skandinavisk Fauna,”— 
Fiskarna,) although they are not commonly found south of 
Gothenburg, he has knoAvn them to come on the coast of 
Sweden, and in one instance in very considerable numbers. 
This was in the summer of 1851, when immense quantities 
were taken in the Sound, but they were so small that it 
required three to weigh a pound. 
We may further remark of the Mackarel taken early in the 
spring, that they often dilfer in quality according to the season 
and place, a circumstance which may Avith much probability 
be ascribed to the variety of food they chance to meet with 
