Notice of the Shad Fisheries of the River Delaware. 135 
obvious from the fact that they increase in fat and flavor the anger 
they remain in the rivers. 
Whether all the myriads of shad which enter the Delaware an- 
nually would proceed to its head waters if unobstructed, is quite 
doubtful. There is some reason for believing, that like some of the 
migratory birds, they return annually to the parts of the river in 
which they were bred. How else are we to account for the marked 
difference observed in the shad taken in the different parts of the 
Delaware and its tributary streams ? Those, for example, which 
are caught in the creek, are so small and so inferior in flavor to those 
taken high up the river, as almost to form a distinet variety of fish. 
The Trenton shad, or those caught at the falls, have, from time im- 
memorial, been proverbial for their superiority in quality as well as 
size to those taken in the waters below. 
It would seem that these fish enter the Delaware in successive 
“rans,” or shoals, and the enperenes of all observant fishermen 
goes to prove that these “ runs’ make their appearance in ordinary 
seasons at definite periods. For example, there is commonly a scat- 
tering run from the middle of March to the middle of April. These 
are, for the most part, small in size, and not remarkable for flavor. 
From this period to the 25th of April occurs the great run; and 
this is felt at each successive fishery for nearly a week, if no storm 
occurs to drive them into deep water ; for it is a fact well ascertain- 
ed, that while in pleasant weather these fish swim near the surface, 
yet the momenta cold easterly wind commences blowing, they sink 
so near the bottom that the deepest nets will sweep over their usual 
grounds in vain. . This run generally continues until the beginning 
of May, after which period the successive shoals that enter the river 
are small and scattered, until the termination of the season, which 
is usually about the 20th of June, though by an existing legislative 
restriction it is‘limited to the first of that month in the lower waters 
of the river, and to the tenth in the upper. The distinctness of 
these different runs, is proved by the appearance of the fish, by 
their quality, and by the state of roe in the female; those of the 
runs being for the most batt less forward than those of the great 
run in April. ~ 
The final cause of their annual visit is doubtless to seek a suitable 
place of deposit for their eggs, which probably require a temperature 
higher than that of the ocean, for their development ; and a safe 
and appropriate nursery for their young during the early period of 
