. The fishes of North Carolina . Fishes. SYSTEMATIC CATALOGUE OF FISHES. 191 The fish attains a large size, 9 or 10 pounds being the normal maximum. Very exceptionally, however, it becomes larger; and a few years ago one was found in the Washington (D. C.) market from Chesapeake Bay which was 41 inches long and weighed 25 pounds; it was seen and identified by Professor B. W. Evermann and others from the United States Bureau of Fisheries. The fish doubtless spawns throughout its entire range on the United States coast, but, as shown hereafter, apparently very few remain on the North Caro- lina
. The fishes of North Carolina . Fishes. SYSTEMATIC CATALOGUE OF FISHES. 191 The fish attains a large size, 9 or 10 pounds being the normal maximum. Very exceptionally, however, it becomes larger; and a few years ago one was found in the Washington (D. C.) market from Chesapeake Bay which was 41 inches long and weighed 25 pounds; it was seen and identified by Professor B. W. Evermann and others from the United States Bureau of Fisheries. The fish doubtless spawns throughout its entire range on the United States coast, but, as shown hereafter, apparently very few remain on the North Caro- lina coast during the spawning season. The lower part of Chesapeake Bay was formerly and is still a favorite spawning ground. The eggs are about 1mm. (.04 inch) in diameter, and float at the surface; they are laid mostly at night, and the hatching period is about 25 hours in a water temperature of 77° or 78° F. All the eggs of a given fish do not ripen at one time, and the spawning may thus extend over several weeks during which several hundred thousand eggs may be Fig. 77. Spanish Mackerel. Scomberomorus macvlatus. As a food fish the Spanish mackerel is one of the choicest species of our east coast, being hardly surpassed by any species except the pompano. Dr. Coker contributes the following interesting account of its economic importance on the North Carolina coast: The Spanish mackerel are, regularly, the highest priced fish of our waters, the fishermen not infrequently receiving 40 cents each for them. They are practically all shipped to markets north of North Carolina, except that when not'abundant enough for separate shipment, they are put into boxes of assorted fish for state markets. The mackerel season commences in May and the best catch is in early June; mackerel contracts used to close June 10, but now run somewhat later. Few fish, however, are caught after the middle of June, and while all during the summer there are a few scattered mackerel about, there is
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