THE SALMON, THE TROUT, AND THE SHAD. 757 



the genera Cobitis, Phoxmus, Leuciscus, or some other of the " Eumpchen" 

 kind, the catching of these fish would in the worst case only deprive 

 the trout of a comparatively small amount of food. And as the trout are 

 flourishing, even if they feed almost exclusively on insects, it follows 

 that they can live without any fish-food, and that no particular harm is 

 done by the catching of the " Etimpchen." In conclusion, I will give the 

 result of investigations which I have made regarding the food of the 

 "Maifisch," (Alausa vulgaris,) so as to enable us to pass a final judg- 

 ment on the fishing of " Riimpchen." 



III. 



The food of Alausa vulgaris while in the Ehine. 



The three species spoken of above belong to the family of the Saluion- 

 oids, while the Alausa vulgaris is a representative of the Clupeoid fam- 

 ily. 1 The " Maifisch " takes its German name from the month during 

 which it ascends the Ehine for the purpose of spawning, and during 

 which it is mostly caught. It is not so highly esteemed as an article of 

 food as the salmon, but its flesh still forms a favorite and valuable food, 

 so that the question whether by the catching of the " Eiimpchen " it is 

 deprived of food well deserves an answer based on scientific investiga- 

 tions. Till quite recently, the " Maifisch " (Alausa vulgaris) was identified 

 with the " Finte :? ( Alausa finta) — even by Heclcel and Kner. Cuvier 2 and 

 other ichthyologists had tried to show certain differences between the 

 two, but Valenciennes 3 had showed these to be untenable, and therefore 

 declared that both fish were one and the same species, viz, Alausa 

 vulgaris. But since Troschel 4 has examined these fish more thoroughly, 

 and has shown the actual differences between them, it has become possi- 

 ble to distinguish them. The chief difference is in the gills ; Alausa 

 vulgaris has, on the first branchial arch, 99 to 118 long, slender, and 

 thin lamella?; on the second, 96 to 112 ; on the third, 74 to 88; and on 

 the fourth, 50 to G5 ; while Alausa finta has, on the first and second 

 arch, only 39 to 43 short and thick protuberances ; on the third, 33 to 

 31 ; and on the fourth, 23 to 27. 



The flesh of the Alausa finta has a bad odor, and is not nearly as fat 

 and delicately-flavored as that of Alausa vulgaris , 5 so that the fishermen 



1 As to the family and specific characters, see Meckel arid Kner, p. 228 ; Siebold, p. 328 ; 

 Valenciennes, vol. xx, 1847, p. 391. 



2 Cuvier, Regno animal, tome ii, 1829, p. 319. 

 s Valenciennes, op. cit., p. 403. 



4 Troschel, in Wiegmann's " Archiv fur Naturgeschichte," 1852, vol. i, p. 228, and 

 "Lehrbuch der Zoologie," 1859, p. 229 ; 7th ed., 1871, p. 268. 



5 Siebold, op. cit., p. 334, erroneously doubts whether the difference in flavor between 

 Alausa vulgaris and Alausa finta has anything to do with the specific differences of the 

 fishes. Not only after the spawing, but also during the whole time of their sojourn iu 

 the Rhine, (therefore, also, at a time when they have not yet become worthless through 

 spawning,) the Alausa finia has poor flesh, so that many fish-dealers do not keep it at all. 



