HISTORY OF THE AMEEICAN MENHADEN. 41 



but most of tbem leave the coast by a iiortbern route, tbe spiiug runs 

 leaving in October, tbe fall rims about tbe middle of January. Some 

 seasons tbey go to sea in large scbools and otbers they drop away grad- 

 ually. Tbe first of tbe spring-runs are usually tbe smallest. During 

 tbe summer tbe large scbools are only seen occasionally, tbougb Mr. 

 Simpson tbiuks tbat tbey are on tbe coast continually. Tbey only come 

 near tbe outer sea-beacb wbeu driven in in October and November by 

 tbe tailor {Pomatomus saltatrix), or blue-fisb of tbe Nortb, and tbe dog- 

 fisb {Mustelus hcvis). 



Coast of Virginia and Chesapeake Bay. 



G8. According to Mr. Henry Eicbardson, tbe alewives are caugbt iu 

 tbe vicinity of Cape Henry as earlj" as Marcb, tbougb tbe maiu body 

 does not come in until June and July. During tbese moutbs tbey are 

 constantly passing tbe Virginia capes and entering Cbesapeake Bay, 

 coming i'rom tbe soutb. 



Tbe Potomac fisbermen inform me tbat tbey appear in tbe spring 

 soon after tbe sbad and berriug, remaining iu tbe Potomac during tbe 

 season, wbere tbey j)rove a serious binderance to tbe working of tbe sbad 

 seines. Young fisb seven incbes in lengtb were taken in tbe lower 

 Potomac at Nanjemoy Eeacb as late as December 10, 1874, but disap- 

 peared after tbe first beavy frost. Tbe first scbools appeared late iu 

 Marcb and early in April, 1875, and in 1878 early iu Marcb. 



At Apateague Island, Accomac County, Virginia, according to Mr. J. 

 L. Anderton, tbey are first seen swimming nortbward near tbe coast in 

 April, tbe main body arriving in June. Tbeir appearance is regular. 

 Tbey run in-sbore on tbe flood, drifting off witb tbe ebb. In November 

 tbey are seen making tbeir way toward tbe soutb. 



In Tangier and Pocomoke Sounds, says Mr. Lawson, they appear 

 about May 1, tbe fisb of different sizes in separate scbools; tbey are 

 found there iu quantity throughout the season, tbe southward migration 

 beginning in August and continuing until the middle of October. 



I find a manuscript note by Professor Baird to tbe effl'ct tbat tbey 

 are found in large scbools at Cape Charles, Virginia, from April to 

 October, being most numerous on the bay side of tbe peninsula. 



Delaicare Bay. 



G9. Mr. James H. Bell, keeper of Mispillion Eiver ligbt-bonse, Dela- 

 ware Bay, states that fisb are first seen in those waters early in Marcb, 

 and grow more numerous until about tbe middle of April, when tbey are 

 frightened away by the sea-trout. They soon return iu increasing num- 

 bers until the middle or last of May, after which they begin to disappear 

 in large scbools until tbe first of August, when they again become num- 

 erous, and continue so if the weather is mild, when they begin to dis- 

 appear, -working out to sea through the channel. Tbe opinion of Mr. 

 Bell is that after entering tbe bay they follow the main channel, spread- 



