THE AMERICAN SHAD 



of Chesapeake Bay and seldom weighs more 

 than three pounds. 



The Alabama shad, found in the Gulf of 

 Mexico about Pensacola, is a small variety 

 and, like the hickory, is inferior food to the 

 common shad. 



The alewife, wall-eyed herring, or gas- 

 pereau, is also a near relative of the shad. 



During the spawning season the fish are 

 very susceptible to cold. If after migration 

 begins there is a heavy fall of snow the 

 melting of which lowers the river tempera- 

 ture, there is an immediate decrease in the 

 catch of the fishermen. It is probable that 

 at first maturity the shad returns to the river 

 whence it originated but that after that it 

 may join the spawning shoals of other rivers. 



The van of the spring run consists chiefly 

 of bucks or male shad, and soon after the 

 roes or females arrive with a liberal admix- 

 ture of belated bucks. 



The spawning grounds of the shad are 

 at the headwaters of the main river. If the 

 [163] 



