CLASS V. PISCES: ORDER 3. TELEOSTEA. 



463 



THE WHITEBAIT. 



THK ANCHOVY. 



mended, indeed, by the example of the Lord Mayor, cabinet ministers, and pliilosopliers of 



the Royal Society, to go down to Greenwich 

 or Blackwall, to enjoy the luxury of a meal 

 of " Whitebait." 



The Sardine, C. sardina, seems to take the 

 place of the herring in the Mediterranean, 

 though it is less than half its size. It is highly 

 prized for its flavor, and the fisheries there are 

 extensive, though they have fallen otf of late 

 years. This fish is also abundant on the coast of Brittany, in France. 



Genus ENGRAULIS : Engraulis, includes the Anchovy, E. encraslcolus, a small silvery fish, four 



or five inches long ; it is taken in vast 

 numbers in the Mediterranean, where it is 

 used for preparing a well-known sauce, 

 which is sent all over the world. 



Genus ALOSA: Alosa. — This includes 



the Allice Shad, A. communis, two feet 



long, of good flavor, and bearing a close 



resemblance, as well in appearance as in 



habits, to our shad. It is somewhat rare in England, but is seen in the markets of London and 



also those of Paris, but more commonly in those of the Dutch cities. 



The TwAiTE Shad, A. Jinta, is twelve or thirteen inches long ; the flesli is dry and tasteless ; 



nevertheless it is somewhat extensively 

 eaten. Both this and the preceding were 

 more abundant in England formerly than 

 they are at the present time. 



The American Shad, A. prcestabilisj 

 is one of the most abundant of our Amer- 

 ican fishes, and is held by many author- 

 \ J ities, among them Frank Forester, as 



TUB TWAITE SHAD. " thc Hiost dcHcate of existing fishes," 



though its numerous sharp bones are an 

 admitted drawback. It is from one to two feet long, appears along our coasts in the spring, and 

 entering the rivers, ascends them for the purpose of depositing its spawn along the banks. 

 At this season they are caught in large numbers by nets. They will also take the hook baited 

 with a gaudy fly, and afford good sport to the fisher. Those of the New England rivers are 

 deemed the best, those of the Connecticut taking the first rank. They are eaten fresh, and 

 are also extensively put doAvn in barrels. When this country was first settled they were more 

 abundant than at present, and afforded the natives a large part of their subsistence. At that 

 period the salmon was very abundant in the Northern rivers, and less esteemed than the shad ; 

 it was therefore customary for the fishermen, who caught both kinds in their seines, to require 

 the people who came down from the country to buy shad, to take a certain portion of salmon. 



The American Alewive, A. tz/ranrnts, is eight to ten inches long, appears like a small shad, 

 and was formerly held in New England to be the young of that fish. It is taken in considerable 

 numbers with the shad, and has similar habits ; it is put down in barrels, and commands a good 

 price. 



The Menhaden, A. mnihadcn — also called Mnf<shorik''r, Hard-Head, Bony-Fish, and Skippang 

 — is ten to fourteen inches long. It is dry and full of bones, and is not eaten, but on the Long 

 Island and Connecticut shores, where it is taken in vast quantities, is used for manure. When 

 planted in the Iiills of Indian corn, the crop is doubled ; it is very remarkable also in regenerating 

 old and worn-out grass lands. Eighty-four thousand of these fish have been caught at a single 

 haul. In Massachusetts they are used as bait for mackerel, cod, halibut, &c. 



The Mattowacca, A. mattowacca — sometimes called Statcn Island Herring — is one to two 



