KINGFISH

Many fishes bear this title. In American waters, those best entitled to it are scienoids of the Ment i cir rhus genus, especially the Northern and Carolina “whitings’’ of the Atlantic coast, the California ‘‘whiting’’ of the Pacific, and the Surf, or Silver, ‘‘whiting’’ of the South Atlantic and Gulf. They average one to two pounds in weight, larger specimens attaining a length of fifteen inches. The northern variety is distinguished by darker, more pronounced stripes than its southern relation. Much Jarger ‘‘kingfishes’’ are two scromboids of the genus which includes also the Spanish mackerel -the Sconberomus regal is, or “sierra,” or ‘‘pintado,’’ and S. car all a, or ‘tvero.”’ or ‘‘eavally,’’ both of them caught chiefly in Florida and West- {Indian waters, and both of them first cla game and food fishes. The average market size is about ten pounds, but big specimens measure five feet and more in length and (in the case of the ‘‘cero’’) reach 100 pounds in weight.