Fishes of Brookhaven^ L. I. 275 



rence. October 31, 1840, I picked up on the beach a fish 

 which had been rolled and chafed by the tide, and which I am 

 consequently unable to determine with certainty. Apparently 

 it is the species here mentioned. 



Clupea minima. Peck. 



Early in the fall, commonly by the first of September, a 

 small species of herring arrives in the Sound in great numbers, 

 which is, I think, the brit. It does not agree altogether with 

 Dr. Storer's description, or with any other which 1 can find, 

 still it does not appear advisable at present to separate it as a 

 distinct species. It is the only one of the genus, of which I 

 was able to learn anything during a residence of three yeari 

 on the island. 



Alosa mattowacca. Mitch. 



This species, called by the fishermen, green bade, is com- 

 mon during the latter part of the season, arriving sometimes 

 by the last of August. They are caught in numbers in the 

 nets drawn for bluejish and basse, and are used for food, 

 though very bony. 



I am gratified to perceive that the fish, which from Dr. 

 Mitchill's brief description I had supposed to be his Clupea 

 mattoivacca, has been described by Dr. Dekay under that spe- 

 cific name. He has given us a very good description, accom- 

 panied by an excellent figure. 



Alosa menhaden. Mitch. 



On the north shore of Brookhaven, for the last few years, 

 this fish has been found in but comparatively small numbers, 

 but at the east end of the island and on the south side they 

 come in boundless multitudes. They are almost exclusively 

 used for manure, though occasionally they are eaten. The 

 nets employed in catching them, at the east end of the island 

 particularly, are of very great length, and a million have been 

 taken at a single haul. The number noticed by Dr. Dekay 

 (168,000) would not be considered an uncommonly large 



