140 BRITISH FISH AND FISHERIES. 



Two species of shad, termed by Mr. Yarrell 

 the twaite shad (Alosa fintd) and the allice 

 shad, (Alosa communis,*) enter our rivers at 

 certain seasons of the year, but generally in 

 May, the former being common in the 

 Thames, the latter rare in that river, but 

 abundant in the Severn, as is the twaite shad 

 also. These fish inhabit the northern seas, 

 and are doubtless " the large sort of herrings " 

 mentioned by Crantz, as occasionally taken 

 along the south of Greenland. (See also Ander- 

 son's Account of Iceland.) 



The allice shad exceeds the twaite shad in size, 

 and usually weighs about four pounds ; the 

 twaite seldom so much as two pounds, and is a 

 far inferior fish for the table. It differs from 

 the larger species in possessing teeth, and being 

 marked with several dark spots in a line along 

 its silvery sides. 



We must not leave this group of fishes with- 

 out noticing one which is regarded by the cook 

 as very important. We allude to the anchovy. 



Though the anchovy (Engraulis encrasico- 

 lus) is not very abundant in our seas, still it is 

 not unfrequently taken, and may be fairly 

 ranked among British fishes. During the 

 winter, it is found in the Cornish sea, and has 

 been taken on the Hampshire coast, in the 



