84 
SCRIBBLED MACKAREL. 
Beomber scriptus. 
Nobis. 
This species is not yet recognised in seience, but I possess 
notes of three examples, which, in the course of years, have 
come into my possession; one of which was taken with a line, 
and the others in drift-nets, at a good distance from land. 
The fishermen explained to me that it was because their 
attention was excited by the distinguished beauty of these 
fishes, that they were set aside fi’om the ordinary Mackarel 
taken with them, and brought to me for inspection. 
ihe length of the specimen selected for description was 
thirteen inches and a half; round and plump, with the general 
proportions much as in the Common Mackarel; but there was 
a decided difference in some of the details, — as, that the head 
rises more especially in front of the eye, and again more 
abruptly from a well-defined line at the junction of the head 
and body, at which part the scales were more distinct, the 
rising slope continuing to the origin of the dorsal fin. Lateral 
line without those zigzags often seen in the Common Mackarel, 
and remarkable in the Dotted Mackarel. The body was also 
proportionally more slender as it approached the tail, and the 
fork of the caudal fin more slender and pointed. Pectoral fin 
more pointed. Carinations at the root of the tail further 
asunder, and in one instance noted as being absent. I possess 
a note of one example which possessed six finlets above and 
below: the specimen from which our figure is taken was only 
furnished with five. The first dorsal fin was lofty, the second 
ray the longest, its length an inch and six eighths; the dis- 
tance between this fin and the second dorsal two inches and 
six eighths. A spine in front of the anal fin. 
