872 FISHES — CLUPEID^. 



Analysis op Gtbneba of Clupbid^. 



* No teeth on the vomer ; no dorsal filament ; scales cycloid. 

 + Cheeks deeper than long ; teeth wanting or on the jaws only. . . . Alosa. 

 tt Cheeks longer than deep; tongue and often jaws also with more or less devel- 

 oped teeth PoMOLOBUS. 47. 



Genus ALOSA. Cnvier. 



Alosa, CcviER, Kegne Animal, 3d Ed , 1^29. 



Type, Clupea aloaa, L. ; Aloaa vulgaris, Cav. 



Etymology, Latin alausa or alosa, a name applied by early writers to the Shad, from 

 the Engl'sh Allis or German, alse, allied to the Latin, hake 



This genns differs from Pomolobus chiefly in the form of the cheeks, which are higher 

 than long, the horizontal process of ihe opercle being very short ; the body is deeper 

 than in the other genera, and there are no teeth except sometimes a few cadacons ones 

 in the jaws. The propriety of retaining Alasa as a gtuns distinct from Pomolobus is not 

 very evident ; but ontil the whole group can be reviewed, it is best to follow custom. 



Alosa sapidissima (Wilson) Storer. 



Common Shad. 



Clupea alosa, MiTCHllx, Trans. Lit. and Phil. Soc, i, 1814, 449 (not of Lincseus). 

 Clupea sapidissima, Wilson, Rees' Encyclopedia, Amer. Ed , 181. 

 Clupea sapidissima, Rafinesque, Am MoLthly Mag,, ii, 1818, 205. 

 Alosa sapidissima, Stobkr, Synopsis Fish. N. A , 458, and of nearly all late writers. 

 Alosa prcestahilis, DeKay, New Yo:k Fauna, Fishes, 1842, 355.— Storkr, Hist. Fish. 

 Mass., and of writers. 



Description — Body stout, elliptical, compressed; mouth moderate, nsually entirely 

 toothless ; lower jaw rather longest, its tip fitting into an emargioation of the upper ; 

 dorsal fin median, beginning rather in front of the ventials ; ventral serrations strong : 

 color bluish or olivaceous, sides silvery ; usually a dusky blotch on sides behind head, 

 sometimes followed by one or more smaller ones ; in older specimens these become obso- 

 lete; head 4J in length; depth 3J; D 15 ; A. 19 ; lat. 1. 60; scutes 21, 15. Length 1 

 to 2 feet. 



Habitat, New England to Gulf of Mexico, ascending streams to spawn. 



Diagnosis. — The true shad may be known by its serrated belly and 

 rather large mouth, which is usually totally destitute of teeth. 



Habits — As this familiar and excellent fish is not indigenous to the 

 waters of Ohio, its habits may be biiefly treated here. It is found along 

 the whole Atlantic Co.st of the United States, and ascends all suitable 

 streams in the spring for the purpose of spawning. Its migrations in the 

 sea extend from the South northward in the spring, returning in the fall. 

 In Ohio Shad have been introduced into the Ohio River, but as they mi- 

 grate southward in the summer, the chance of their returning next sea 



