3 I o Memoir Sears Foundation for Marine Research 



Spawning and Migrations. A. alabamae, like its close relative A. sapidissima, ascends 

 streams in spring and spawns in fresh water. Sexually mature Alabama Shad, ob- 

 served at Keokuk Dam, Iowa, in 1915 and 19 16 from the early part of May to the 

 middle of July, were in upstream migration to spawn but were stopped by the dam, 

 except for a few that might have passed through the lock (2y: 169). Coker believed 

 there were enough there "to support a substantial fishery." Other runs in the spring 

 of the year have been reported for the Black Warrior River (Tuscaloosa) and at Mobile, 

 Alabama (52: 127); the Kanawha River at Montgomery, West Virginia; and the 

 Ohio River at the falls, Louisville, Kentucky (jj: 275—276). An apparently reliable 

 source reported still other runs to Dr. Evermann — for the Ohio River about 30 

 miles below Louisville, Kentucky, and for the Mississippi River below Memphis, 

 Tennessee. 



In reply to a letter of inquiry addressed to the State Department of Conser- 

 vation, Montgomery, Alabama, Mr. Ben. C. Morgan, Director of Conservation, replied 

 (June 2 2, 1946): 



During the months of May and June, and sometimes earlier, we still have enormous quantities of fresh 

 water shad which run or attempt to run up our main streams. I say attempt to run because of the fact that the 

 Coosa, Tallapoosa, Tennessee, and Tombigbee Rivers all have locks and dams which prevent the shad from going 

 further than these dams. Only last year on the Tennessee they banked below the dams by the millions and could 

 be scooped with nets, which we do not allow, of course. 



It seems highly probable that the young of this species descend the rivers to salt 

 water at the end of their first summer, and it may be assumed, therefore, that the habits 

 of the Alabama and American shads are very similar. 



Food. It is well known that anadromous fishes, while migrating to their spawning 

 grounds, do not feed regularly, if at all. The Alabama or Ohio Shad is no exception 

 to this rule, for Mr. Stringham found that 105 of 163 stomachs examined at Keokuk, 

 Iowa, were empty (27: 171). Others contained small quantities of insect and plant 

 remains as well as some unrecognizable debris. 



Variations. Although adults of alahamae and sapidissima differ widely in the number 

 of gill rakers, the number in the very young is so similar in this respect that overlapping 

 definitely occurs (see Description). 



Examples taken from the Ohio River at the falls, Louisville, Kentucky, differed 

 sufficiently from alahamae to be recognized by Evermann as a distinct species, which 

 he named Alosa ohiensis (31: 277). He described ohiensis as differing from alahamae 

 principally in a more elongated body and in the greater number of gill rakers on the 

 first arch. However, the seven large specimens from the Ohio now at hand (including 

 the type), though representing the extremes in the two characters mentioned, intergrade 

 with the other 1 1 sexually mature examples (including the type material of alahamae 

 from Tuscaloosa) from the several other localities in the Gulf drainage already listed. 

 Therefore, ohiensis at most is only subspecifically distinct. It is herein regarded as a 

 synonym of alahamae. 



Commercial Importance. This species has never been an important foodfish; only 



