356 EEPORT OF XEAY JEESEY STATE MUSEUM. 



largely due to the spawning instinct, yet they argue that the food sup- 

 ply ever plays the dominant part in their habits. WTiat this food 

 they speak of is, is not clear, but may perhaps be microscopic plant or 

 animal life contained in the water, as all the shad and herring ascend- 

 ing in the spring, and many hundreds have been examined, are found 

 apparently empty. However, as they think it moves about in large 

 areas in the water, either deep or at the surface, and is variously 

 influenced by the tides, winds and rains, so the fish seem to act in 

 accordance. They always seem to follow this so-called food, pushing 

 ahead or falling Ijack as it moves. The alewife moves up the river 

 in schools of varying size, sometimes, as formerly, in immense num- 

 Ijers. If weather conditions are unfavorable, such as protracted cold, 

 they run in the creeks where warmer water forming shallower places 

 affords them comfort. The fishermen do not believe they spawn to 

 any extent in these places, unless land-locked or obstructed in some 

 manner. They select places, similar to those used by the shad, 

 when depositing, and in this respect resemble them very much. 

 They usually find a deep place, frequently of several feet, and always 

 where the water has a whirling or rotating motion or current, as about 

 deep eddies near the rocks in the river. Such places usuallv have 

 clear or clean bottoms, but if not and such a locality is preferred, 

 the fish will clean them by brushing them with their tails until only 

 the bare stones or rocks are left. The fish assemble in schools in 

 these places, moving restlessly about together. The ova and milt are 

 deposited at the same time, the whirling water serving to thoroughly 

 mix it as it sinks to the bottom on the rocks, especially in pebbles 

 or stones in eddies. The fish never deposit in mvid. Sometimes 

 the spawn may be entirely destroyed by protracted foul or muddy 

 water, freshets, floods, or similar causes. Like the sturgeon, when 

 ascending, the alewife is vigorous and active, and appears to require 

 little air from the surface, as they seldom jump. After depositing 

 and when slipping down stream on their return to the sea, they 

 may frequently be observed to jump. This jump is spoken of by the 

 fishermen as the "rattle," which has earned for them the local name 

 of "rattler." Indeed, it is claimed, so different are the sounds pro- 

 duced by this fish, from those of the black belly, that they have 

 each earned their vernaculars from the fishermen by these peculiar 

 habits when rising to the surface for air. The spent alewife ascends 

 to the surface of the water abruptly, producing a more solid sort of 

 splash, and when descending the tail is thrown up so that from 



