3o 



silvery with faint streaks around spot behind the opercle. D. 

 16, A. 19. Scales 50. Abdominal scutes 21x14. 



Occurs along the Atlantic coast; anadromous ; is caught in 

 gill nets, fykes, etc., in great abundance in the spring. 



This fish dies almost immediately on removing it from the 

 water ; the blood vessels of the gills are very delicate and 

 rupture when brought in contact with the atmosphere, so that 

 the fish bleeds to death. Fresh' from the water they appear 

 like molten silver. The flesh is very palatable, and no doubt 

 is often sold as shad by dealers. It is found land-locked occa- 

 sionally. 



Pomolobus aestivalis {Mitch.). 



Glut or Summer Herring. 



Weaker than the former, which it much resembles, it is more 

 elongate, the fins are lower, the eyes smaller. Color darker 

 above with faint streaks; dark spot behind opercles. 



It runs with the alewife and continues a little later. In 

 habits the two fish appear alike. 



Alosa sapidissima Wilson. 

 Shad. 



Body deep, compressed, mostly large, belly serrated and 

 sharp. Bluish, sides silvery, a dark blotch behind opercle, 

 often followed by three or four others in a row. D. 15, A. 21. 

 Scales 60. Scutes 21x16. 



Anadromous and found all along the Atlantic and Gulf sea 

 board ; one of the most valuable food fishes. It is often 

 caught in company with the alewives. The shad has been an 

 object of much distribution by the Fish Commission of the 

 United States, and has been transplanted to the Pacific coast 

 and to Europe. 



Brevoortia tyrannus (Latrobe). 

 Menhaden; Mossbunker. 



Body compressed, quite deep, fins small; eyes small; bluish, 

 silvery below, fins pale, a dark spot behind the opercle with 

 often many smaller spots behind in several irregular series. 

 D. 19, A. 19. Scales 60-80. Scutes 20x12. 



The menhaden runs in large schools, and, though a marine 

 fish, it sometimes enters the rivers for a short distance. 



