"T liotli jieniiisiilas. Thcv ii;ive lu'eii. oxieu.sively used ibi 

 iiianwvc l)y the iarmers living' near the coast, wluM'e lliey aT(; 

 caught l\v untold tliousauds in the larg-o seines. 



A('Al). CoLi.. S. I. 



A LOS A ('nv. 



A. .^AI'IDTSSlAfA. 



The Anierioan Shad. 



IJody oblong, compressed. Head e(jnal in length to one- 

 sixtii of the entire Jiyh; tlie greatest deptli oi" the body exceeds 

 the length of tlie head. Covered thronghont with large, 

 deeiiluous scales, with the e.xce])tion o!" the liead, which is 

 naked. Tlie u])])er jaw v.drh a (h'ep iii)tc!i in (he ceiitre. 

 Upper ]i(~»rtion of the sifh's cupreous: hiwci' ]>orlion silvery, 

 with a greenish tinge; abdomen peai'ly: toj) of iieud and buck 

 bluish. .V l)!ack blotch of consideral»le !f;i/.e at tlte liind angle 

 Iff the operculum. 



Kin-rays:—]). 17— UK V. HI; V. i): A. 20- li:^: ('. 20. 



Two young siieeimens were caught May Ttli. by IMajoi- T. 

 V>. i''ergiison, near the mourh i)f Hlk liiver. The measure- 

 ments were as follows, — 'I'otal length to tip of caudal fin .") 

 inches: greatest width 1^ inches; lengthof headli inches. 

 Head contained o| times in the len.gth (d" the body excluding 

 caujlal fin. Cohn- silvei\r, back olive. 



(Jill pea .supidisslina , Wilson, iu iJees' New Cyclopa'ilia.. 1st 

 Amer. Ed. Art. Chi pen. 



^Uosii, s(ipidi.ssiii/.<i, Storei'; Synops. ]>. 'loS, No. I. 



This isi tlie American iSlnul so highly pri/eil by ]\faryland- 

 er's of the tide-water districts, it is tlie most savory (d" all 

 our risltes, and was Ibrmerly common in all the rivers empty- 

 ing into the Gliesapeake Bay on the Western shore, and in 

 the princi[)iil ones of the Eastern shore. 



The principal fisheries of it arc now in the Susquehanna, 

 Potomac and Chester liivers, although smaller munber.s are 

 taken in the Patuxeut and S<n'ern. It Inis been almost 

 '•leared oiil of ibr Pata.|tsco liiver, ulliiongh a. I'ew stia,gg|('i :i 



