60 FISHES OF PENNSYLVANIA. 

maxilla extends nearly to the hind margin of the eye; the length of the upper jaw 
is more than one-half length of head. The origin of the dorsal is over the ninth 
series of scales, and the length of its base corresponds with ten rows of scales. The 
ventral origin is under the middle of the dorsal ; the fin is one-half as long as the 
head. The pectoral reaches the fourteenth series of scales of the lateral line; its 
length is two-thirds that of the head. The anal is moderately long and low; its long- 
est ray about twice length of eye and one-half length of its base. Thelongest dorsal 
ray equals postorbital partof head. The caudal is deeply forked. There are twenty_ 
three gill rakers below the angle of the first arch. D. iii, 15; A. iii, 16. Scales 15- 
52 to 58. Scutes 20-13 to 14. The body is blue with reflections of green and gold; the 
lower parts silvery. 
The golden shad or skip-jack isa common inhabitant of the Ohio and 
Mississippi valleys and the Gulf of Mexico. In Pennsylvania this fish 
is confined to the Ohio and its tributaries. It prefers large streams. It 
has made its way into the Great Lakes through canals. The presence 
of the golden shad in the salt water of the Gulf Mexico was discovered 
by Mr. Silas Stearns, near Pensacola, Florida. This species grows toa 
length of eighteen inches. 
Unlike most other species of Clupea this one, according to observa- 
tions of Professor S. A. Forbes, in Illinois, is predaceous, feeding upon 
other fishes. ‘wo examples examined by him had eaten gizzard shad 
(Dorosoma), and another one individuals of some unidentified fish. The 
young of the golden shad, two and one-fourth inches long, had consumed 
nothing but terrestrial insects including flies, small spiders, ete. 
As far as we can learn, it never ascends small streams. In the lower 
part of the Mississippi valley it migrates into salt water: in the upper 
portion of this region its permanent residence is in fresh water. The 
name skip-jack is given in allusion to its habit of skipping along the 
surface of the water. Having many small bones and its flesh being 
tasteless this fish has no value for food. 
80. Clupea sapidissima Wutsoy. 
The Shad. (Figure 2.) 
The shad is now referred to the genus Clupea, but differs from the typical sea her- 
ring in the shape of the cheek bone, which is somewhat deeper than long. The 
adult is toothless, but the young has well-developed, though small, teeth in the jaws, 
which sometimes persist until the fish has reached a length of fifteen inches. To this 
subgenus the name Alosa was given by Cuvier. 
The shad has a deep body and a large mouth, with the jaws about equal. The gill 
rakers are very long and slender, varying with age from forty to sixty below the 
angle of the first arch. In the female the dorsal originates a little in front of the 
middle of the length, in the male somewhat fartherin front. The dorsal of the male 
is rather higher than that of the female, while the body is not sodeep. Inthefemale 
the greatest depth is one-third of the total without caudal, and the length of the head 
two-ninths. Inthe male the length of the head is one-fourth of the total without 
caudal. 
The dorsal has thirteen divided rays and four simple ones; anal, nineteen divided 
and three simple. Scales, 16-60 to 65. Seutes, 22-1 16. 
The color is bluish or greenish with much silvery. A dusky blotch close behind 
the head, two-thirds as large as the eye, and frequently from several to many in one 
or two rows behind this. Thelining of the belly walls is pale. 
