SHAD FISHEKIES OF SEVERN SH.\EK3. 211 



be of superior flavour to the former, and to improve the 

 higher the fish ascends the river. 



Mr. D. Miller, who has an extensive shad fishery at 

 Newnham, near Gloucester, in the Severn, has given me 

 the following interesting particulars : — 



'' The shad fish season begins late in April, about the 

 15tli to the 20th, according to the heat of the season. 

 If cold winds blow it begins later on. They are 

 changeable, but the small cocks come first, so small 

 that two are only equal to one hen. I know of only 

 one sort of shad fish. The young cock is smaller than 

 the hen, and comes rather earlier, but the big cock, 

 or real shad fish, is this season later in coming, by a 

 week, viz., June 20 or thereabouts. The wholesale price 

 is changeable. In the spring the price is six shillings 

 per dozen, owing to the smallness of the cocks ; later on 

 four shillings per dozen, as one hen counts for two 

 cocks, and thirteen to the dozen. Our market is in the 

 locality of Gloucester and Dean Forest, east and west ; 

 also a few have been sent to London this year, and other 

 local markets nearer home. I think they spawn on the 

 sands in the Severn, at least I have heard old fishermen 

 say so. The young are seen in great numbers in the 

 shallow and easy waters, at or near the close of the 

 season, in a warm time. I think the large shad is gene- 

 rally an old cock in the Severn ; but I have seen the 

 same species occasionally in the river Tay forty years 



ago or more." 



SHARKS. 



The White Shark {Squalus carcharias) is a powerful 

 fish, most numerous in the tropical seas, but also abun- 

 dant in the Mediterranean. As it is a great wanderer, it 



