| 
PROCEEDINGS 
OF THE 
NATURAL SCIENCE ASSOCIATION 
OF 
Wor. Vil. No...2. 
The regular meeting of the Association 
was held at the residence of Mr. Eric T. 
King, Arrochar. 
In the absence of the President Capt. A. 
W. Vogdes was elected chairman pro tem 
Mr. Wm T. Davis read the following 
ADDITIONAL MEMORANDA ON THE FIRST 
SHAD OF SPRING. 
Iu our Proceedings for January 12, 1889, 
may be found recorded the dates when the 
first shad of the season were taken in 
Staten Island waters in the years 1873 to 
1888. The earliest dates there recorded 
are March 28th, 1878, and March 28th, 
1880. I have been told by fishermen that 
in many years shad could probably have 
been caught earlier than the dates of 
actual capture, only it did not pay to go 
shad fishing before they were sure of 
catching them in some numbers. 
The following additional notices in re- 
gard to Staten, Island shad have been 
copied from old local newspapers, and it 
may be noted that March 22nd is the 
earliest date given. 
“Commodore Abraham Simonson, a citi- 
zen of Middletown, caught four fine shad 
on Saturday evening at Robins’ Reef, be- 
ing the first taken in our bay this 
season ’’—Richmond County Gazette, Wed- 
_nesday, March 26th, 1862. 
‘* The first shad of the season taken in 
Staten Island waters was caught last Sun- 
day off Stapleton, by Capt. Stillwell.’’— 
_ Gazette, Wednesday, April Ist, 1863. 
‘“*The first shad of this season was 
caught by Mr. David Burgher, yester- 
day,’’—Gazetie March 28th, 1866. 
“The first shad of the season was 
caught by Messrs. Simonson & Co., in 
their nets at Robins’ Reef, on the 27th of 
STA TEN 
ISLAND. 
DEc. roth, 1898. 
March.’’— Gazette, April 1st, 1868. 
‘‘The first shad of the season was 
caught by Mr. David Burgher yesterday 
afternoon, a sure sign that Spring has 
come, The poles are now being set by 
Messrs. Stillwell, Simonson and others.”’ 
—-Gazette, March 30th, 1870. 
‘: The first shad of the season was cap- 
tured by Capt Jas. Stillwell on Sunday, 
and was presented by Mr. Thos Brown 
to School Superintendent J. L. Keenan 
of the 1st district, New York ; its subse- 
quent career is not known.” 
Gazelte, Wednesday, April 9th, 1873: 
‘*The first shad of the season was 
caught in fykes belonging to Capt. J. P. 
Ketteltas, of South Beach, Friday last.’’ 
[April 1st.]—Gazette, April 6th, 1881. 
‘William Wardell, of Stapleton, on 
Saturday, captured the first North River 
shad of the season, whick wandered into 
his nets in the Narrows. Mr. Wardell 
took the silvery-sided beauty to Fish 
Commissioner Blackford, at Fulton 
market, and received the five dollar gold 
piece for his luck that always goes to the 
catcher of the first sbad. Mayor Grace 
had the choice edible presented to him 
for his Sunday dinner.’’—Staten Island 
Gazette and Sentinel, Wednesday, April 
I5th, 1885, 
‘John Fence, of Stapleton, has the dis- 
tinction of catching the first shad this 
season in a drift net in Staten Island 
waters. He caught three on Thursday 
afternoon, [April 5th,] and later, making 
another haul, he captured four.” 
‘‘Jacob Hoefle was the second lucky 
man, as he secured several fine shad the 
following day.’’—Richmond County Her- 
ald, April 7th, 1894. 
In addition to the blossoming of the*‘shad 
