OHIO RIVER FISHES. 219 
from Mr. Sowders in 1897 and 1898 indicated that their spawning time 
would have been in the first half of June. 
These shad were caught by means of seines light-leaded so that they 
would fish the upper few feet of water rather than the bottom. 
This method of fishing was adopted in order to get the spoonbill cat, 
which, when running, swims close to the surface; and while fishing 
Fig. 1.—Ohio Shad, Alosa ohiensis Evermann; female. Drawing from the type. 
for the spoonbill, the shad were caught at the same time. The two 
species appear to ‘‘run” at the same time when both swim near the 
surface. 
The principal seining-ground near Louisville in 1598 was below the 
Falls of the Ohio, and between Rock Island and the Indiana shore. 
The seines in use were about 70 yards long, 1.5-inch bar, and 90 
meshes deep. 
Fic. 2.—Ohio Shad, Alosa ohiensis Evermann; male. Drawing from one of the cotypes. 
According to Mr. Sowders the first shad obtained at Louisville were 
‘aught about 1876, when a good many were secured by seining just 
below the Falls. Mr. Sowders’s father, who was then in the fish 
business, compared them with shad billed to him from Baltimore as 
‘*Potomac shad.” Being unable to detect any important difference, 
he called those from the Ohio ‘* Potomac shad,” which name they have 
ever since retained among the Louisville fish-dealers. They found a 
ready sale then, perhaps at a better price than they now receive. Since 
