CLUPEID^. 237 



Ahsa vulgaris (pt.), Cuv. and Val. xx, p. 391; Yarrell, Brit. Fish. (ed. 3) i, 

 p. 127, c. fig. 



Twait-shad, Coucli, Fish. Brit. Isles, iv, p. 122, pi. ccv; Houghton, British 

 Freshwater Fish. p. 71, c. fig. 



B. viii, D. 18-20 (tI:^^), p. 15-16, V. 9, A. 20-25 (yl-If^), C. 19, L. 1. 60-75, 

 Vert. 55-56. 



Length of head 5 to 6i, of caudal fin 5|, height of body 4 to 4^ in the total 

 length. Eyes — with adipose lids, diameter 4J to S-J in the length of the head. 

 Opercle with some raised and radiating lines descending towards the sub-opercle. 

 Upper jaw with a notch in its centre, to receive the end of the somewhat 

 prominent under jaw ; the maxilla reaching to beneath the hind edge of the eye. 

 Teeth — small and deciduous in jaws : absent from the palate and the tongue. 

 Gill-rakers thick, osseous and from 20 to 28 along the horizontal branch of the 

 outer branchial arch. Fins — dorsal commences nearer to the end of the snout 

 than to the base of the caudal fin. Ventral inserted slightly behind the origin of 

 the dorsal. Anal fin low. Caudal deeply foi-ked. Scales — 15 to 17 carinated 

 scales Qn the abdominal edge posterior to the base of the ventral fin. Small ones 

 over the basal two-thirds of the caudal fin. Colours — steel blue along the back, 

 becoming silvery along the sides and below, a large black blotch on the shoulder, 

 generally succeeded by about 5 or 6 more (Donovan says 10) along either side ; 

 in some specimens there are two dark spots at the base of the tail, one above the 

 other below. 



Varieties. — Couch has noticed a scattered row of irregularly placed small 

 spots along the sides, instead of large dark spots in one specimen which he 

 supposed to belong to this species. 



Names. — Twaite in the Severn, shad signifying the last species. Maid. Bony 

 Norsemen, Ireland. L' Alose feinte, French. 



Habits. — These anadromous fish leave the sea at the end of May or commence- 

 ment of June, and ascends some of our large rivers as the Thames and Severn, 

 for the purpose of depositing their ova ; formerly they went in the Severn far above 

 Shrewsbury, but since about 1846 have been more or less stopped by the 

 Tewkesbury river. All have usually returned to the sea by the end of July, 

 Mr. Miller, who has the fishing at Newnham, in the Severn near Gloucester, 

 says that it commences from the 14th to the 20th of April, according to the heat 

 of the season, for if cold winds blow it is deferred. Small males come first, so 

 small that two only equal one female ; at first the wholesale price is 6s a dozen, 

 later on 4s, as one hen counts for two cocks and thirteen to the dozen. 



Means of capture. — Similar to the other form of shad. Yarrell observes, that 

 in the Thames great numbers were taken every season, especially opposite the 

 Millbank Penitentiary, Westminster, also above Putney Bridge. But the state of 

 the water has caused a more or less complete cessation of their visits. Formerly 

 their capture in the Thames was prohibited after June 30th, in order that 

 spawners might breed in security. 



We are told that in Germany this fish is believed to be terrified at storms and 

 troubled waters, delighting in quiet and musical sounds. Therefore to the nets 

 are fastened bows of wood, to which are suspended a number of small bells which 

 chime in harmony together on the nets being moved : the fish are thought to be 

 thus attracted to their destruction, and as long as the alluring sounds continue 

 they cease all efEorts at escape. 



Baits. — Whiffing with a slice of mackerel has been found successful at the 

 mouth of the Dart (Holdsworth). This fish is capricious in taking a bait in 

 the Severn being occasionally hooked at almost any cast, at another time 

 playing around the bait but refusing to touch it ; when hooked it affords some 



Breeding. — June and July. On June 3rd, 1879, 1 opened several from the Severn, 

 the ova was almost ready for being deposited. Yarrell observed, that about the 

 second week in July used to be when they mostly spawned in the Thames when 

 they appeared to disencumber themselves of their roe by violent muscular action, 

 and on a calm still evening or night, the noise they made misht be heard at some 



