﻿THE 
  SHAD. 
  

  

  DESCRIPTION 
  OF 
  THE 
  SHAD. 
  

  

  The 
  shad 
  [Alosa 
  mpidissima) 
  is 
  the 
  largest, 
  best-known, 
  and 
  most 
  

   vahiable 
  member 
  of 
  the 
  herriug 
  family 
  in 
  the 
  United 
  States. 
  The 
  body 
  

   is 
  deep 
  and 
  compressed, 
  the 
  depth 
  varying 
  with 
  the 
  sex 
  and 
  spawning 
  

   condition, 
  bnt 
  averaging 
  abont 
  one-third 
  the 
  body 
  length. 
  The 
  head, 
  

   contained 
  about 
  4^ 
  times 
  in 
  the 
  body 
  length, 
  is 
  quite 
  deep; 
  the 
  cheek 
  

   is 
  deeper 
  than 
  long. 
  The 
  jaws 
  are 
  about 
  equal, 
  the 
  lower 
  jaw 
  fitting 
  

   into 
  a 
  deep 
  notch 
  on 
  the 
  tip 
  of 
  the 
  upper. 
  Teeth 
  are 
  present 
  in 
  the 
  

   young, 
  but 
  are 
  not 
  found 
  on 
  the 
  jaws 
  in 
  the 
  adult. 
  The 
  eye 
  is 
  contained 
  

   5| 
  to 
  6 
  times 
  in 
  the 
  length 
  of 
  head. 
  The 
  gillrakers 
  are 
  long, 
  slender, 
  

   and 
  numerous, 
  there 
  being 
  from 
  93 
  to 
  120 
  on 
  the 
  first 
  arch. 
  The 
  fins 
  

   are 
  small 
  and 
  weak, 
  the 
  dorsal 
  containing 
  15 
  rays 
  and 
  the 
  anal 
  21. 
  

   The 
  lower 
  edge 
  of 
  the 
  body 
  is 
  strongly 
  serrated, 
  the 
  plate-like 
  scales 
  

   numbering 
  21 
  before 
  the 
  ventral 
  fin 
  and 
  16 
  behind 
  it. 
  The 
  scales 
  in 
  

   the 
  lateral 
  line 
  number 
  GO. 
  The 
  body 
  is 
  dark-bluish 
  or 
  greenish 
  above, 
  

   silvery 
  on 
  the 
  sides, 
  and 
  white 
  beneath. 
  There 
  is 
  a 
  dark 
  spot 
  behind 
  

   the 
  gill-opening 
  and 
  sometimes 
  a 
  row 
  of 
  smaller 
  spots 
  along 
  the 
  side. 
  

   The 
  vertical 
  fins 
  often 
  have 
  black 
  or 
  dusky 
  edges. 
  The 
  peritoneum 
  

   is 
  white. 
  Supposed 
  structural 
  and 
  color 
  peculiarities 
  in 
  shad 
  from 
  

   different 
  regions 
  or 
  basins 
  have 
  not 
  been 
  verified. 
  

  

  From 
  the 
  other 
  clupeoids 
  with 
  which 
  the 
  shad 
  is 
  frequently 
  asso- 
  

   ciated 
  in 
  the 
  rivers, 
  it 
  may 
  be 
  readily 
  distinguished. 
  In 
  all 
  of 
  them 
  the 
  

   cheek 
  is 
  longer 
  than 
  deep. 
  The 
  hickory 
  shad 
  or 
  hickory 
  jack 
  {Pomolobus 
  

   mediocris) 
  has 
  a 
  projecting 
  lower 
  jaw 
  and 
  a 
  very 
  straight 
  profile. 
  The 
  

   river 
  herrings 
  or 
  alewives 
  are 
  much 
  smaller 
  than 
  the 
  shad, 
  have 
  fewer 
  

   and 
  shorter 
  gillrakers, 
  and 
  a 
  larger 
  eye 
  (3i 
  in 
  head). 
  In 
  the 
  branch 
  

   herring 
  (P. 
  psetidoharemjus) 
  the 
  peritoneum 
  is 
  pale, 
  while 
  in 
  the 
  glut 
  

   herring 
  (P. 
  wstivalis) 
  it 
  is 
  black. 
  

  

  The 
  female 
  shad 
  is 
  larger 
  than 
  the 
  male, 
  the 
  average 
  difference 
  in 
  

   weight 
  being 
  more 
  thau 
  a 
  pound. 
  The 
  mature 
  males 
  taken 
  in 
  the 
  

   fisheries 
  of 
  the 
  Atlantic 
  coast 
  weigh 
  from 
  11 
  to 
  G 
  pounds, 
  the 
  average 
  

   being 
  about 
  3 
  pounds; 
  the 
  females 
  usually 
  weigh 
  from 
  3 
  to 
  G 
  pounds, 
  

   the 
  average 
  being 
  4^ 
  pounds. 
  The 
  general 
  average 
  for 
  both 
  sexes 
  is 
  

   between 
  3f 
  and 
  4 
  pounds. 
  In 
  the 
  early 
  history 
  of 
  the 
  fisheries, 
  shad 
  

   weighing 
  11, 
  12, 
  and 
  even 
  14 
  pounds 
  were 
  reported, 
  but 
  9-pound 
  shad 
  

   are 
  very 
  rare 
  ou 
  the 
  Atlantic 
  coast, 
  and 
  10 
  pounds 
  seems 
  to 
  be 
  the 
  

   maximum. 
  Some 
  seasons 
  an 
  unusual 
  number 
  of 
  large 
  shad 
  (7 
  to 
  9 
  

   pounds) 
  appear 
  in 
  certain 
  streams. 
  On 
  the 
  Pacific 
  coast 
  shad 
  average 
  

   a 
  pound 
  or 
  more 
  heavier 
  than 
  on 
  the 
  Atlantic, 
  occasionally 
  attaining 
  a 
  

   weight 
  of 
  14 
  pounds 
  ; 
  many 
  have 
  been 
  reported 
  weighing 
  9 
  to 
  12 
  pounds. 
  

  

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