THE RIVER FISHERIES OF MAINE. 687 
A convenient quantity of pickle is now poured in, the barrel is headed up, and then completely 
filled with pickle through the bunghole. The pickle used is the same in which the fish were 
struck.* ‘ 
No. 1 differ from the mess shad merely in having the backbone in and the tails on. The third 
grade, No. 2, embraces thin und poor fish, but these, as well as the two higher grades, must be 
well preserved. An inspector must attend as the fish are packed and see that it is properly done. 
His brand is placed upon the head of the barrel, and if any purchaser finds the fish of inferior 
quality or in bad condition he can recover damages of the inspector. 
It takes nowadays from one hundred and twenty to one hundred and thirty Kennebec River 
shad to make a barrel of mess. Previous to 1820 it took but ninety shad to the barrel. From 
1820 to 1840 one could rely upon one hundred shad filling a barrel. After that there was a decline 
in size until one hundred and thirty were required to the barrel, which was the rate for some years 
previous to 1880. In the latter year, however, there has been an improvement in size, and one 
hundred and twenty are now suflicient.t The sea shad are much smaller. Of those caught in 
Casco Bay a barrel will hold one hundred and seventy-five. One informant estimated the number 
in a barrel in 1853 at one hundred and thirty or one hundred and forty, showing that these fish as 
well as the river shad have deteriorated in size. . 
The barrels now in use are almost wholly of spruce staves and pine heads, bound with twelve 
hoops, which are commonly of white ash. The law allows the use of white oak, white ash, pine, 
chestnut, and poplar for staves, and prior to 1850 pine was generally employed. Both Cadiz and 
Liverpool salt are in use. One experienced packer prefers to strike shad in Liverpool salt and use 
Cadiz in the barrel, considering the latter of superior strength, but the former better adapted to 
striking because finer. 
The price obtained for salt shad varies ordinarily from $9 to $11, but as extremes may be 
mentioned $6 and $16.33 per barrel. The latter price was obtained for some lots at Richmond in 
1867 or about that time. The high price combines with other circumstances to forbid the consump. 
tion of many salt shad at home. They are consequently nearly all shipped out of the State. For 
about twenty-five years previous to 1867 almost the entire catch went into the hands of asingle . 
firm in Boston, but since that date a considerable portion is shipped direct to Philadelphia, 
which market is reputed to ultimately absorb most of those sent to Boston and other points. At 
present this business is of little importance, but 384 barrels of shad having been packed in Maine 
in 1880. As an illustration of the decline in recent years may be adduced the statement that at 
Dresden as late as 1860 to 1865 there were packed from 200 to 400 barrels yearly, against 75 
barrels in 1880. 
THE ALEWIFE (CLUPEA VERNALIS). 
NATURAL HISTORY.—The range of this species is from Florida to Newfoundland. In Maine 
it has a more gregarious character than any other river fish. It pushes up the rivers in dense 
bodies, which appear to seek unerringly each their native lakes, and the young descend to sea in 
solid columns. Before the obstruction of the streams by far the greater part of the alewives 
deposited their spawn in lakes and ponds. No stream seems to be too small for them if its 
waters are derived from a pond, and there can have been hardly an accessible pond in the whole 
State they did not visit. The inaccessible waters were those rendered so by the interposition of 
insurmountable falls or too great a distance from the sea. They are known to have ascended the 
* Statement of W. W. Walker of Dresden. In other districts there may be some difference in the details, 
t Statement'of John Brown, W. W. Walker, and others. 
