THE MENHADEN OF LONG ISLAND SOUND. 231 



those peculiar sources of profit which the enterprising 

 spirit of the New Englandcrs of the Atlantic border had 

 created, and which I now found proceeding as it was 

 the especial season here, as well as at home, for making 

 presents of good things to eat with great activity. But 

 there is another natural production of the Bay of New- 

 liaven, and of the whole of Long Island Sound, which is 

 quite as worthy of the notice of a stranger, and is of at 

 least as much use to the country and people on its oppo 

 site shores. This is a fish known by the name of the 

 menhaden, (Alosa menhaden,) and called also the moss- 

 bunker, the hard head, and the bony fish. It has some 

 external resemblance to the herring, but is larger, and 

 is caught in enormous quantities. It is thus spoken of 

 by Dr De Kay, in his Zoology of New York: 



&quot; Though seldom eaten, as it is dry, without flavour, 

 and full of bones, yet it is one of the most valuable fish 

 within our waters. Its use as a manure is well known 

 in the counties of Suffolk, King s, and Queen s, (New 

 York State,) where it is a source of great wealth to the 

 farmer who lives upon the sea-coast. They are used in 

 various ways. For Indian-corn, two or three are thrown 

 on a hill 5 for wheat, they are thrown broadcast on the 

 field, and ploughed under although it is not uncommon 

 to put them in layers alternately with common mould, 

 and when decomposed, to spread it like any other compost. 

 Old grass-fields, when spread over with these fish, at 

 the rate of about two thousand to the acre, are very 

 remarkably renovated. Their value as manure has one 

 drawback in the abominable and unhealthy stench which 

 poisons the whole country, and, according to the testi 

 mony of some medical writers, lays the foundation of 

 dysenteries and autumnal fevers. They appear on the 

 shores of Long Island about the beginning of June in 

 immense shoals ; and as they frequently swim with a 

 part of the head above or near the surface of the water, 



