THE GIZZARD SHADS 



HE gizzard shad (four varietal forms) 

 is very closely allied to the herring 

 family, in which is included our de- 

 licious breakfast fish, the shad. It is 

 called "gizzard shad" because of the peculiar con- 

 struction of the stomach, which is very muscular, 

 about the size of a hickory-nut, and shaped like the 

 gizzard of a fowl. It is also called the " mud- 

 shad," " winter shad," " stink-shad," " hairy back," 

 and "white-eyed shad." Its technical name is Do- 

 rosoma, from two Greek words signifying " lance " 

 and " body," in allusion to the lance-like form of 

 its body when young. 



Along the banks of the Great Lakes, it is some- 

 times called " lake shad," and is split and salted ; 

 but owing to the low quality of its flesh, and the 

 innumerable quantity of small bones, it doubtless 

 has but little sale. It is a familiar visitor to the 

 brackish waters of the New England coast from 

 Cape Cod southward, and is landlocked in many 

 ponds from New Jersey southward to Texas. 



The only species known to New England and 

 Eastern Canadian waters, is called gizzard or 

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