122 



TWAIT SHAD. 



MAID. 



Shad, WiLLOUGHBY; p. 3, f. 1, p. 227, but lie confounds 



the two now recognised species together. 

 Clupea alosa, Linn^us. Bloch; PI 30. Donovan; PI. 67. 



" finta, OuviEB. Jenyns ; Manual, p. 437. 



Alosa finta, Yarrell; Br. Fishes, vol. ii, p. 208. 



This species so nearly resembles the Allis as to have been 

 confounded with it until Cuvier established some definite marks 

 of distinction; the chief of which are the existence of some 

 teeth in both jaws of the Twait, and that it is ornamented with 

 a row of rather large spots along the sides from the gill-covers; 

 whereas in the Allis there is only one spot, and sometimes 

 none. In most other particulars they resemble each other, 

 except indeed that the Allis is a little the thickest, and the 

 Twait never reaches the size that is sometimes attained by the 

 kindred species. Their habits are much alike, but the Twait 

 is known further north, and is reckoned among the fishes of 

 Scandinavia. It is also mentioned by Risso as a native of the 

 Mediterranean, and in Britain, where it occurs, it is in more 

 abundance than the Allis; but I have not known it to take a 

 hook, although I suppose it to be the species from the stomach 

 of which Dr. Fleming informs us he took three Herrings. It 

 enters rivers in spring, and is taken in the Severn at the same 

 time with the Allis; but it is in much less esteem than that fish 

 for the table. 



In what I suppose to have been an example of this species, 

 instead of a row of large dark spots, I have noticed a scattered 

 row of small spots irregularly placed on the sides. 



