THE FISHES OF NEW JERSEY. 101 
body frequently take on a nile-blue effect or pale blue tint, this 
shade spreading well over the abdomen. The back becomes more 
purplish-brown with alternate streaks of pale and darker follow- 
ing, latter greater in width, to courses of scales. Top of head 
darker than back, its upper surface more olivaceous and this color 
fading out into brassy on side of snout. Rim inside of mandible, 
also edges of rami inside, especially posteriorly, and upper sur- 
face of tongue dusky. Except former is blackish this region is 
translucent brownish. Dorsal pale translucent brownish, margin 
broadly dusky, especially of upper anterior rays. Anteriorly and 
a little below middle of fin a pale or indistinct longitudinal streak 
of same color to last ray, most distinct on membranes. Caudal 
dusky, this color most distinct on posterior margin, its lower 
margin whitish, especially basally. Basal scaly region of caudal 
pale and more or less translucent. Pectoral, ventral and anal 
translucent whitish, bases of former two fins pale pinkish. 
Upper rays of pectoral inside sprinkled with dusky dots. Inside 
of gill-openings whitish. Lower surface of body, together with 
that of caudal peduncle, clear shining whitish. Female. 
This well-known fish is perhaps the most important of Dela- 
ware River food-fishes. Its habits, life history, etc., have been 
treated so frequently by persons more interested in its commer- 
cial value that I have little save a repetition of what has already 
been said. Though mostly associated with the alewife and 
ascending the large tide-water streams in the spring for the 
purpose of spawning, they are more of an object to the many 
large fisheries. As a food-fish they rank high and are of excel- 
lent flavor, though not oily but with many small bones. I have 
never found them land-locked in ditches and pools like the ale- 
wife. About Cape May they vary somewhat in abundance, some- 
times only a few are taken in the bay-pounds. Fishermen report 
them occasionally in the tide-water of the Great Egg Harbor 
River. They have been taken in both the lower Rancocas and 
Crosswicks tide-waters. 
Clupea sapidissima Wilson, Cyclop. Art. S. L. Rees, Am. Ed., 
IX, 1802-19, no pagination.—Moore, Bull. U. S. F. Com., XII, 
1892, p. 358.—Smith, Bull. U. S. F. Com., XII, 1892, p. 369. 

