Mr. Yarrell on Whitebait and Shad. 139 



in the Lord Mayor and his Court for the time being, who, with the 

 addition of certain other officers, make and enforce the execution of 

 their own bye-laws for the preservation of the fishery. Their 23rd rule 

 and order is as follows: " Shads shall be only taken from the 10th day 

 " of May to the 30th of June in every year.'* 



By making an arrangement both at Putney and Greenwich, I was 

 constantly supplied with Shads twice in every week during the whole, and 

 even somewhat beyond the time they are allowed to be taken; and with- 

 out going into a detail of weekly observations, it will be sufficient for 

 the purpose to state, that not a single male or female Shad, examined 

 during the months of May or June, had cast its milt or eggs, and this- 

 fact it is necessary to bear in mind. Two fishes examined on the 5th of 

 July still retained their roes, but two others subjected to the same test 

 on the 7th had passed their ova. 



It is th^ opinion of the fishermen, who have the best opportunities for 

 observation, that these adult fishes, having performed the office for which 

 they visit the fresh water, take the centre of the current and return to sesl. 

 From their weak state, they may be said to drift, rather than swim, with 

 the tide, and, as fishing against the stream is prohibited, they in this way 

 proceed in safety to their destination. i n-t 



Of the young Shad, when vivification of the deposited ova has taken' 

 place, but few examples are caught, and these only by the unlawful 

 mode of fishing for Whitebait. Like the young of Salmon, and the fry 

 of other salt-water fishes, instinct directs the exertion of their first efforts 

 towards gaining the sea. The reason given by the fishermen why these 

 young fishes are not caught in greater quantities, is, that immediately on 

 their acquiring sufficient power of motion, they take the middle of the 

 stream, and make for sea, and as no nets capable of stopping them are 

 used in that part of the river, they escape until their return the next year 

 as adult Shad. 



When the preceding winter has been mild, the Whitebait make their 

 appearance early in spring. In the present year, I first observed them 

 in a fishmonger's shop at the West-end of the Town, on Saturday the 

 29th of March. Knowing the habits of the Shads, and that they did not 

 make their appearance in the Thames till May, it was this early exhibi- 

 tion of Whitebait which induced me to take up, and persevere in, an 



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