288 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF FISHERIES. 
well known that some fishes linger on their spawning grounds long after they 
have spawned, and it is not impossible that mackerel remain near the place 
where the spawn is deposited for some time afterwards. The same may be said 
of menhaden. In support of this is the fact that sooner or later all adult men- 
haden disappear from the Virginia shores and, temporarily at least, from the 
Carolina coast. There are not wanting fishermen, however, who aver that they 
catch menhaden along the Carolina shores at any time in suitable weather 
throughout the winter. 
SPAWNING OF MENHADEN. 
The time, place, manner, and duration of the spawning act of the menhaden 
are not known, and such meager data as are available on that subject are con- 
fusing. Direct observations by persons qualified to solve the problem have not 
been made, and the testimony of those who handle the greatest number of the 
fish is contradictory; individuals not infrequently change their views—some- 
times even while being interviewed. Conjecture, however, is not evidence, and 
until thorough observations are made throughout the year the question can not 
be positively settled. But careful study of such data as are at hand suggests 
that there is no one definite spawning season such as appears to be the case 
with mackerel, but that the conditions are analogous to those of the common 
herring, which spawns in some localities in spring or early summer and in others 
in late fall or early winter, and perhaps more or less all summer. Some men- 
haden taken in Buzzards Bay throughout May and June up to July 15 are well 
advanced, and a few ripe fish have been observed; but of the many examined 
few are found that are more than ‘‘well advanced,” and it is unsatisfactory 
to try to estimate the length of time necessary to ripen the ‘‘ well-advanced”’ 
fish. Out of 500 large menhaden taken at Sakonnet, R. I., on July 5, 1892, 
410 were females in various stages of development from very small to ‘‘nearly 
ripe.’”’ Of the 90 males, the majority contained milt “‘well advanced” and 
some were “‘ripe.’’?, From November 17 to 20, during the same season, at North 
Truro, Cape Cod, large menhaden were found with ova and milt in various 
degrees of development, some males being ‘‘ well advanced”’ and a few females 
“nearly mature.” 
From the last part of October to the first of December, 1894, a large body 
of menhaden was observed to extend from Delaware Bay to Cape Lookout, 
“outside.” These fish differed in appearance from the few taken within the 
bays at this time, being longer and their reproductive organs apparently very 
near maturity. Very many taken off Chesapeake Bay were examined, and the 
organs of those over 10.5 inches long always seemed to be in the same condition, 
which the observer could account for in no other way than that the fish were 
passing south toward warmer water to spawn. Subsequent observations off the 
