156 HISTORY OF THE FISHES OF MASSACHUSETTS. 



cents, and at last may be bought for abont twelve cents. Many of this species are 

 packed and inspected. In tbe year 1832, 100 barrels were inspected ; in 1833, 321 ; 

 in 1834, 3; in 1835, 310; in 1836, 527; in 1837, 652; in 1838, 390; in 1839, 773; 

 in 1840, 856; in 1841, 3,910; in 1842, 513; in 1843, 903; in 1844, 1,679 ; in 1845, 

 1,338; in 1846, 517; in 1847, 474; in 1848, 228| ; in 1849, 415 ; in 1850, 705 ; in 

 1851, 180f ; in 1852, 195; in 1S53, 16| ; in 1854, 225f ; in 1855, 238| ; in 1856, 

 265 ; in 1857, 473£. 



The quantities taken in Charles River, at Watertown, for the five years preceding 1838, 

 averaged about 6,000 per annum. From 3,000 to 4,000 are yearly caught at Taun- 

 ton. Sixty years ago this fish was very scarce in the Merrimack River, and remained 

 so for about five years ; previous to that time they had been very abundant, and it is 

 said that 10,000 were caught at one haul. After the scarcity they became again abun- 

 dant, and continued so till about the year 1810, when they were again scarce for two or 

 three years. They then became plentiful, and still continue so. This species goes up 

 the river during the whole of May. Its greatest run is when the apple-trees are in 

 full blossom. The old shad return in August ; the young, three or four inches long, in 

 September. It is said that the Concord River water is warmer than that of the Merri- 

 mack, and that Concord shad were caught a month earlier than those of the Merrimack 

 above its junction with the Concord. The Concord shad have almost entirely disap- 

 peared, their ascent being cut off by dams. 



Maine, Connecticut, Linsley. New Hampshire, Belknap. Massachusetts, Storer. 

 New York, Mitchill, Dekay. South Carolina, Virginia, Dekay. 



Alosa tyrannus, Defray. 



The Alewife. 



(Plate XXVI. Fig. 3.) 



Clupea serrata, Peck, Belknap's Hist, of New Hampshire, III. p. 133. 



Clupea tyrannus, Bay Alewife, Lateobe, Amer. Phil. Soc. Trans., v. p. 77, pi. 1. 



Clupea vernalis, Spritig Herring or Alewife, MiTCn., Trans. Lit. and Phil. Soe. of N. Y., I. p. 454. 



Alosa vernalis, Spring Herring or Alewife, Stoker, Report, p. 114. 



Alosa tyrannus, American Alewife, Dek.it, Report, p. 258, pi. 13, fig. 38. 



Alosa vernalis, Linsley, Cat. of Fishes of Connecticut, Silliman's Journal, xlvii. 



Alosa tyrannus, Stoeek, Mem. Amer. Acad., New Series, n. p. 459. 



" " " Synopsis, p. 207. 



L'Alose tyran, Alosa tyrannus, Cuv. et Val., Hist. Nat. des Pois., xx. p. 419. 



Color. Back, bluish purple ; sides more or less cupreous ; beneath silvery and beau- 

 tifully iridescent. Four or five, and sometimes even more, indistinct greenish-brown 



