When living it is brilliant in its green shades, from a light to a brown- ish tint : the belly is of a silvery white, with interrupted brown lines running from before to behind. This species is smaller than the com- mon bream, and more frequently lives among rough or rocky ground. It is a very powerful fish on the line, and is remarkable for being ex- ceedingly fat. Like the other breams it feeds on Crustacea, and browses on the sea-weed. The intestines are long, and the molar teeth well fitted for grinding.
The other breams found in the Cornish seas, are
Ray's Bream, Brama Raii. Two specimens of which have been taken at Polperro, and the late Mr. Chirgwin informed me that one had been taken near the Runnel Stone, on the western part of Mount's Bay.
Couch's Sea Bream, Orphus Rondeletii, vel Pagellus Rondeletii. The capture of this fish is noticed in the 'Zoologist,' (Zool. 81).
Short Sea Bream, Pagellus curtus. The particulars of this fish, with a figure will be found in the 'Zoologist,' (Zool. 393).
Next to the pilchards, the most important fish to the fishermen, is the mackerel, for more hands are employed, and more capital is embarked in its capture than on any other. The Scomheridce, though few in numbers, as it regards species, appear on our shores in countless multitudes, and are very remarkable for the brilliancy of their colouring, elegance of their shape, and the rapidity of their movements, and the common mackerel may be taken as the perfection of the class.
When buxom Spring's luxuriant airs inspire
The softer wish, and blow the genial fire,
The Mackerel rushing from the Atlantic deep,
In midland seas with us their nuptials keep. — Oppian.
Common Mackerel, Scomber scombrus. This species is too well- known to require any notice of its specific characters, and too highly valued as food to require anything to be said in its praise, I shall, therefore, merely refer to its habits. They are remarkably active as swimmers, and very voracious as feeders. They always remain on our coasts, for during 1845, I saw and examined one or more specimens in every month of the year, and I have seen them during many other years equally through each month. They do not, therefore, perform those extensive migrations which some authorities describe with such wonderful minuteness. The size of the schulls which occur on our shores varies very much, but their migrations have occurred for many
