116 FISHES OF MASSACHUSETTS. 



A. vulgaris. Cuv. The common Shad. 



Mc Murtrie's Cuv. vol. iii. p. 235. 

 YarrelPs British Fishes, vol. ii. p. 136. 



This excellent species is brought to Boston market from the 

 mouths of the neighboring rivers, in considerable quantities, in 

 the spring of the year, and meets with a ready sale. At first 

 they sell for 50 cents a piece ; as the season advances, for 

 25 cents ; and at last may be bought for about 12 1-2 

 cents. Many of this species are also packed. In the year 

 1832, 100 barrels were inspected ; 1833, 321 ; 1834, 3 ; 1835, 

 310 ; 1836, 527. The quantities taken in Charles river, at 

 Watertown, for the five years preceding 1838, averaged about 

 6000 per annum. From 3000 to 4000 are yearly caught at 

 Taunton. In the Merrimack river this fish was very scarce 

 forty-five years ago, and remained so for about five years. At 

 this time there were ten salmon to one shad. Very few were 

 caught. Before that time they had been very abundant. It 

 was said that 10,000 were caught at one haul. After the 

 scarcity, they became plentiful, and continued so till about 1810, 

 when they were scarce again for two or three years. They 

 then became plentiful, and still continue so. They have not 

 decreased for the last ten years. Shad and alewives go up the 

 river during the whole of May. Their greatest run is when 

 the apple trees are in full blossom. The old shad return in 

 August ; the young, three or four inches long, in September. 

 These are very fond of flies. The Concord river water is said 

 to be warmer than that of the Merrimack, and the Concord 

 shad were caught a month earlier than those of the Merrimack 

 above its junction with the Concord. The Concord shad have 

 almost entirely disappeared, their ascent having been cut off by 

 dams. 



The usual weight of this species is from one to four 

 pounds, although it sometimes attains six pounds. Color upon 

 the top of the head and the back, bluish ; the upper portion 

 of the sides, including the opercula, cupreous ; beneath silvery. 



