140 ACANTHOPTERYGII.— CEPOLADiE. 
excite. He who has experienced the glorious 
sensations of sailing on the Western Ocean, a 
bright autumnal sky above, a deep green lucid 
swell around, a steady breeze, and as much of 
it as the hooker can stand up to, will estimate 
the exquisite enjoyment our morning’s Mackerel- 
fishing afforded.” 
The fishes of this fine Family are predatory J 
and voracious, devouring great numbers of fishes [! 
smaller than them.selves, which their muscularity jl 
and high powers of swimming enable them to |! 
overtake and subdue with facility. The Macke- | 
rel offers no exception to this character of the 
Family ; it pursues with eagerness the fry of 
other fishes, and in particular the young of a 1 
small species of Clupea^ which Mr. Yarrell sup- 
poses to be the Sprat. 
On our southern coast the Mackerel deposits 
its spawn in June, which is hatched by the end 
of the month. The young fry increase rapidly 
in size, so that by the end of August they are 
found from four to six inches in length, and by j 
November have attained half their adult growth, j 
About this time they retire into deep-water, and 
appear no more as fry. 
Family X. Cepoladae. I 
{Ribhon-jishes.) I 
The greatly compressed form of the Cory- ji 
phenes, in which the vertical diameter so greatly 
exceeds the transverse, and the elongation of |j 
some among these, prepare the student for the | 
contemplation of the present Family, in which 
