CULTURE OF THE SHAD. 163 



in the ovary, at least two crops of eggs ready, though 

 undeveloped, for the next two seasons. Nature does not 

 prepare her seed only to die ! Old fish become barren. 

 These two crops of eggs are to be laid, and for that the fish 

 must live at least two years more. The impression that 

 prevails among fishermen, both here and in Europe, that 

 shad die after spawning, the first year, comes only from the 

 familiar fact that fishes are in meagre condition after spawn- 

 ing, and that some of the weaker probably do die, and are 

 seen floating. There was a similar idea about lamprey eels, 

 which was to the effect that they made fast by their sucker 

 and then slowly decayed."* 



* Concerning the indisposition of some persons to believe in the 

 utility of fishways, Mr. Lyman, one of the Massachusetts Fish Com- 

 missioners, gives the following : 



" When the fishway at Lowell was building, some of the factory 

 superintendents (very intelligent men about factories), said, that 

 the fish must have a schoolmaster to teach them to go up those steps ! 

 The next year shad and salmon did go up, and without any school- 

 master. The nearer we get to the truth, the more it stands out, 

 that artificial propagation and free passage over dams, are the two 

 great conditions of restocking rivers." 



The same writer takes the subjoined " fling" at certain slow, 

 cautious people : 



" This feeling gets strength from the loose impression that game, 

 like the Indian, is doomed, and that the last shad or trout is soon 

 to be caught, a sort of Dr. Fear-the- worst theory, 



' The former did maintain 

 The man would take all medicine in vain.' 



" This kind of sentiment is shown by the uncomprehensive way 



