ORDER CRUSTACEA. HETEROBRANXHI.^. 141 



" Among the fish that at this early season of the year 

 (February) resort to the waters of York River, in Vir- 

 ginia, the Alewife, the Oldwife, called also the Bay Ale- 

 wife, arrives in very considerable shoals, and in some 

 seasons their number is almost incredible. They are 

 fully of the size of a large herring, and are principally 

 distinguished from the herring by a bay or red spot, 

 above the gill-fin. They are, when caught from March 

 to May, fuU-roed and fat, and at least as good a fish for 

 the table as the herring. 



" In this season, each of these Alewifes carries in her 

 mouth an insect about two inches long, hanging with its 

 back downwards, and firmly holding itself by its four- 

 teen legs to the palate. 



" It is with difiiculty it can be separated, and never, 

 perhaps, Mithout injury to the jaws of the fish. The 

 fishermen, therefore, consider the insect as essential to 

 the life of the fish ; for when it is taken out, and the 

 fish is again thrown into the water, he is incapable of 

 swimming, and soon dies. I endeavoured in numerous 

 instances to preserve both the insect and the fish from 

 injury, but was always obliged, either to destroy the one 

 or injure the other. 



"I have sometimes succeeded in taking out the insect 

 in a brisk and lively state. As soon as he was set free 

 from my grasp, he immediately scrambled nimbly back 

 into the mouth of the fish and resumed his position. 

 In every instance he was disgustingly corpulent and 

 unpleasant to handle, and it seemed that, whether he 

 had obtained his post by force or favour ; whether he be 

 a traveller or constant resident, or what else may be his 

 business where he is found, he certainly fares sump- 

 tuously every day. 



