306 SEVENTH REPORT OF THE FOREST, FISH AND GAME COMMISSION. 



the Gulf of Mexico, ascending streams at various dates from January in its extreme 

 southern limit to June in far northern waters. In the Delaware and Susquehanna it 

 makes its appearance in April and departs after spawning ; but remains, sometimes, 

 as late as July 18, and many die. 



The original distribution of the shad has been widely extended by artificial 

 introduction. In certain rivers flowing into the Gulf of Mexico the fish has been 

 established by planting. In the Ohio River a fishery has been created by the same 

 method ; and in the Sacramento River, Cal., the shad was successfully introduced, 

 and it has colonized not only this river but all suitable rivers from San Francisco to 

 Southern Alaska. It is now one of the common market species in San Francisco and 

 other west coast cities. 



In the Susquehanna the shad was formerly one of the most important native food 

 fishes, but its range is now very limited on account of obstruction by dams. Twenty 

 years ago the Fish Commission reported that a few shad are taken yearly above the 

 Clark's Ferry dam, none, or at least a few dozen, above the Shamokin dam, none 

 above the Nanticoke dam and none above Williamsport. The largest run of shad 

 that has been kno\vn to pass the Columbia dam was that of 1867. "In 1871 the 

 finest Columbia shad were hawked in the market at Harrisburg, 30 miles from the 

 fisheries, at considerable less than a dollar a pair. The catch at Columbia exceeded 

 100,000." 



The obstructions in the Delaware have been almost entirely overcome. In 1891 

 shad were caught higher up the Delaware than for many years, and spawned in the 

 upper reaches of the river beyond the New York State line. In 1891 the Delaware, 

 for the first time since 1823, was restored to its normal condition by means of the 

 fishway at Lackawaxen ; and, according to Col. Gay, it is at present the best shad 

 river in the country. The number of eggs obtained for artificial propagation in 

 the lower river was unusually small, but the number naturally deposited in the 

 upper waters was greater than for many years. Col. Gay observed a large number 

 of big female shad at Gloucester City, but a great scarcity of males. This neces- 

 sitated a long run up the river before spawning. The cause is believed to be the 

 lower temperature of the water during May, the lack of rain cutting off the usual 

 supply of warm surface water and the tributaries of the upper river bringing down 

 nothing but cold spring water, keeping the temperature of the river below the 

 normal for spawning purposes. Consequently the shad ascended more than 300 

 miles. Mr. Ford noticed that every pool in the upper river was full of shad, and he 

 saw them playing in the water by hundreds. Mr. Van Gordon saw them above 

 Port Jervis, and they were observed as far up as Deposit, N. Y. 



